Happy Valentine’s Day! To help spread the love this year, we asked our team members to share why they love working in the events industry and at M&IW. Their heartwarming responses are just another reason we love our M&IW family!

Maggy Kacmar

Customer Success Lead

“I have been with M&IW for eight years and in the industry for over 10 years. I love getting to meet new people and taking the client’s vision and making it come to fruition with successful outcomes. I couldn’t do my job without my great colleagues and friends and M&IW. 

One of my favorite annual events I’ve worked on involved partnering with the United States Association for Blind Athletes. We had a weekend event in Breckenridge, CO, and would bring in a well-known blind athlete for the guest speaker, and attendees would ski with blind athletes from around the US. It was such an incredible and humbling experience. At dinner, the athletes would tell us about each of their personal stories. It would touch everyone’s hearts to hear and feel what they have gone through. It’s events that bring people together like that and provide such rewarding experiences that make me love what I do.”

Emily Kendrick

Customer Success Associate

“I’ve been in the events industry for eight years, and what I love most about the industry is the client and customer engagement. We, as event professionals and hospitality heroes, have a big responsibility to pull off an amazing event! When the event day comes, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing your client and their customers so happy and having a lot of fun! Whether the event is big or small, when a bump in the road pops up, we are the ones they call and lean on for support! 

Since starting at M&IW in August 2022, it has been a breath of fresh air. The leaders in this company truly care about not only your well-being but your families, too. I love that they make your mental health a top priority, and if you need help, someone is always there to support you! They show their appreciation so genuinely towards each employee. That is what I love the most.”

Amy Beaton

Associate Manager, Event Experience

“There are so many reasons why I love the events industry and M&IW—the travel and unique, one-of-a-kind experiences; the excitement of seeing a program brought to life and all of the details come together; the fact that every day is different and you’ll never be bored. But most of all, I love the people. I can truly say that some of my coworkers at M&IW have become lifelong friends and I truly enjoy collaborating with this awesome team!”

Kristi Stephan

Sr. Event Experience Manager

“I’ve been at M&IW for six years and in the industry for over 20 years. I love working at M&IW because we bring world-class service to every event we touch. We also call ourselves the M&IW Family and help each other professionally and personally. There is no other company that can bring the excellence, talent, and professionalism like we do! I love planning events because it allows me to be creative and take a blank canvas and turn it into an event that positivity impacts the attendees.”

Mike Farmer

Manager, Incentives & Engagement

“I have been in the travel and hospitality industry for 39 years, 10 months, and 14 days. I started as a bellman at a posh St. Louis hotel and simply through hard work and treating people with kindness and respect parlayed that start into a career that has taken me to 88 countries, set me on adventures in private palaces as well as a trash dump (yup, it happened), and helped me create lasting friendships around the world. Now I’m winding down my career at a company that truly cares for their associates. What’s not to love?”

Nicole Raudabaugh, CMP, CIS

Customer Success Manager

“I love working in the events industry because of the joy my job brings to others. When we recognize someone with a group or individual incentive trip or an engaging gifting opportunity, we are telling them they are awesome and deserve to be celebrated. Who doesn’t love that?! We create memories that last a lifetime, and each day I’m excited to help craft those experiences!”

Alaya Howard

Specialist, People Engagement & Operations

“I love the culture at M&IW because it’s encouraged to connect with not only your internal team but also your clients and the team they bring. The importance of relationships built with our customers boosts the level of planning we do. It changes the dialogue of planning calls from getting through the agenda to collaborating.

My perspective is unique because I’m on a planning team and also recruit/train, so I get the chance to share this with a potential new hire and then assist in ushering them into our company culture.”

Meg Castro

Associate Director, Business Development

“I absolutely love working for M&IW and being a part of this incredible industry! There is always something new to learn each and every day, and you never know what is going to pop up next for opportunities. The people in our industry are all so passionate about what they do, and it makes it an exciting environment to be a part of. I have been with M&IW for 12 years and look forward to continuing to help our company continue to elevate our world-class brand.”

Vicki Walsh, HMCC

Sr. Director, Event Sourcing

“When asked why I love working for M&IW, I wanted to join the party in sharing my overwhelming sense of gratitude in working for M&IW. Our unique culture, which is driven entirely from our senior leadership, is what makes us so special. I just celebrated my 15th work anniversary, and it’s my longest tenure with ANY company in my 30+ years of working in the meetings industry. My “Top Ten” reasons below are exactly why:

10. Our sense of “family.” Being a women-owned family business may not be entirely unique, but M&IW truly is. Our leadership cares about all team members and our personal lives/families. And we feel it. #onefamily

9. Our new team members. M&IW has been able to hire such great talent, especially over the last 18 months. It’s like they’ve always been members of our team. #oneofus

8. Remote work environment. Being a remote-based company provides us with a lot of flexibility, which is fully welcomed. However, I still feel connected to my team through calls and other events. Who says video calls are a bad thing? #heretostay

7. Very little judgment. Speaking of video calls, there is no judgment if we are on a call and our dog starts barking at the delivery driver or we’re not exactly looking our best. #badhairday 

6. M&IW Culture. We talk about it. We may even brag about it. But it’s true. Our culture is what makes us unique. Everyone has each other’s back, and we always assume good intent. #teamcamaraderie  

5. Our Executive Leadership. Our team’s successes are both recognized and fully supported by our leadership. Also, when we request additional support or guidance, they listen. In my experience, this is unique. #leadershiphasourbacks

4. M&IW Summit. This event is so extraordinary because it feels like a family reunion and not a company-wide meeting. This annual event is a “can’t miss” event and keeps everyone connected. #mustattendevent

3. Town Halls. These monthly calls are not only fun and informative but can also be extremely personal. If someone shares a very difficult personal story, the initial reaction from all colleagues is one of love, support, and “how can we help?” #MIWstrong

2. My Event Sourcing team. I can’t go without saying how amazing this team is. They are all top performers and continue to amaze me every single day with their positive attitudes and complete customer service excellence. #bestteamever

1. M&IW’s ONE TEAM attitude. This is huge. It’s never you and me but always US. I absolutely love this mentality, and I love this team. #oneteam