i-Meet Reaches 50,000 Members Worldwide

Online Community Continues Rapid Growth; Better Networking and "Skills Marketplace" Attracts Industry Professionals in Record NUmbers

PHILADELPHIA, April 28, 2011.
.  i-Meet.com, the professional and social network for people who plan meetings and events, announced today that it its global online community has surpassed 50,000 members.  The meeting and event industry’s largest online community has attracted professional meeting planners and suppliers from 155 countries around the world.

i-Meet reported that its membership includes all industry segments -- corporate and association planners, independent planners and professionals, students, destination and venue suppliers, industry consultants, travel and tourism boards and major service brands.  The network expects its growth to remain robust, as more industry professionals join and find value in their community experience.

“We’re excited about our continued strong growth, both in the US and around the world,” said John Pino, i-Meet’s Founder and CEO.  “Our membership has been fueled by the acceptance of social media as a vital part of business strategy, with major industry brands embracing our platform and community of members.   Growth in the number of planner members has been extraordinary all over the world.  And since size does matter, reaching these growth milestones allows us to focus on adding more value and effectiveness for the organizations building an online social media presence in our industry.”

i-Meet also announced a number of new capabilities to support its members, including:

• Log-on capability using Facebook credentials, enabling easier sharing of content for business purposes
• Social media reporting tool for industry suppliers listed on i-Meet, to track tangible awareness and effectiveness results real time
• Industry Job Board promoting open positions and career enhancements

In addition to improving its professional networking environment, project-based opportunities for independent planners and industry professionals have spiked during Q1, as many companies opt for a strategy that matches qualified professionals with their short-term needs.  “Our Skills Marketplace has emerged as a strategic alternative to full-time staffing,” said Pino.  “With so many highly credentialed members around the world, and a process for qualification and verification in place, i-Meet is positioned to play a larger role in on-demand staffing of industry professionals.”

About i-Meet
Created by the Founder of StarCite, i-Meet.com is the industry’s most relevant worldwide online community for the meeting and event industry.  With over 50,000 members from 155 countries around the world to date, i-Meet brings social networking, web 2.0 tools, work flow and relationship opportunities, and industry intelligence to its members and suppliers.

Industry professionals can register their interest in project work at www.i-meet.info/projectwork, or view our Job Board.

For further information, contact:
Chip Stockman
cstockman@i-meet.com