Midrange Salaries Don't Erode Planners' Optimism

<FONT SIZE="+3"><B>Midrange Salaries Don't Erode Planners' Optimism</B>

By Lauren Bielski

While average salaries are not particularly high, meeting planners are nonetheless optimistic about their field and believe that greater opportunity lies ahead.

Industry observers say there has been a convergence to a mid-level salary range, with corporations eschewing the extremes of bargain-basement and blue-chip employee wages and opting instead for affordable professionalism.

The median income for U.S.-based planners is $42,500 in 1996, according to <I>Meetings Today</I>'s Meetings Monitor survey. The majority of respondents-54.3-are in the middle range, making between $30,000 and $50,000 (See chart, Page 1). Fewer than one-fifth make less than $30,000, and less than 6 percent make $80,000 and higher.

Planners interviewed said they are satisfied with what they are earning. They also indicated that they are beginning to achieve salary levels commensurate with their responsibility, as they-along with their outsourced partners-get their hands on more demanding projects including air and hotel negotiations, consultation and project development.

Most planners do not expect their salary to change this year. Nonetheless, the overall outlook is optimistic. More than half of Monitor respondents said the meeting planning profession provides somewhat greater or much greater opportunity for them today compared with two years ago. And those interviewed said that as they do more, their transferable skills increase-and so do their opportunities to develop a rewarding and potentially lucrative career.

Courtney Hill, manager of meeting and transient travel for sandal maker Birkenstock in Navarro, Calif., reported that while more money would always be welcomed, she is satisfied with her salary. "I get paid well, but planning is pretty demanding," she said. "I think it gets the reputation of being something that anybody can do, but in fact, not everyone can do it affordably and save the company money. I think my salary reflects the responsibilities I have."

Gaining that kind of knowledge comes with experience, Hill said, pointing out that her year or so of wearing both the transient travel and meeting management hats has been an invaluable learning experience. Hill belongs to the Bay Area Business Travel Association and Meeting Professionals International, two organizations that have helped her further develop her skills. "You don't learn what others are doing, and you can't really benchmark, unless you meet people at association gatherings," she said.

Also learning valuable skills on the job is Dawn Levesque, a meeting planner at American Express Group Travel Management Services in Moline, Ill. She services John Deere Corp. exclusively and has watched her responsibilities increase-a situation she has welcomed.

"I've become more and more involved with the negotiations," said Levesque, who has only one annual contract with airlines and instead has to go to the table on a per-meeting basis. She often does the same with hotels.

"Although we are not mandated by the organization, employees have started to use us more often," she said. "Often, we are asked for recommendations and have been doing quite a bit of air analysis."

"If I had to relocate suddenly, I feel confident that I could get work elsewhere," she added.

Cheryl Schwartz, a meeting planner for Woolworth Corp. in New York, also is confident that she is building highly transferable skills. "Planners are taking on more responsibility due to downsizing," she said. "We are very busy here, budgets are being looked at more closely and we've got to do more with less."

Obtaining the CMP is the most valuable step she has taken to advance her career, Schwartz said. In addition, the tough hotel market has tested her mettle. "This is definitely the hotels' year to shine," she said. "I'm just glad I have the background to deal with them.