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THE CMEC Certification Program


The League offers the only Management Certification  Program in the Equine & Agricultural Industry.  In conjunction with Middle Tennessee State University, this program: 

  • Incentivizes professional, universal improvement in the management of Equine & Agricultural Centers
  • Establishes an industry-wide standard for management-level education and operational excellence
  • Recognizes and supports those who achieve these superior standards; and
  • Provides important, distinguishing credentials for professionals in their unique field of expertise 

The League is inspired by and enthused to recognize and support Managers and Directors who have attained an exceptional level of continued education and professional development and who demonstrate the highest standards of excellence in the administration and operation of Equine and Agricultural Facilities.  

Our Board of Directors encourages all individuals active in our industry to pursue and apply for certification as they strive to advance the quality and success of their careers.

  It is not the purpose of the certification program to determine who shall or shall not engage in the management of equine facilities. 




CMEC CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

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    • EMPLOYMENT – CMEC Candidates must be employed full-time* as a General Manager, Facility Director or under similar titles with commensurate responsibilities at an Equine and/or Agricultural Center
    •  ALSO -- CMEC Candidates  may be employed full-time  in another capacity by a Center Member of the League and deemed eligible for certification by the GM or Director at that Center.
    • MEMBERSHIP - CMEC Candidates' Employers must be active Center Members in good standing with the League at the time the Candidate applies for and is awarded the CMEC.
    • GENERAL EDUCATION – CMEC Candidates must possess a record of formal education including high school, college, post-graduate courses, or equivalent educational work from an accredited business or vocational school.
    Full-time status is defined as one who is employed in a compensated, non-volunteer capacity for more than 1,000 hours per year.



    CMEC APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

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      • FOOTING ACADEMY COMPLETION - CMEC Candidates must have completed at least (1) League Footing Academy within the prior (3) years.
      • EDUCATION CREDITS - CMEC Candidates must have completed a total of (45) continuing education hours in (3) Core Subject Areas and available through the League's Symposium and other designated events.  See below for further detail.

    CORE SUBJECT AREAS

      • Business Management – (15) hours on topics such as marketing, public financing, insurance, etc.
      • Center Operations – (15) hours on topics such as daily operations, maintenance, emergency management, etc,
      • Event Management – (15) hours on topics such as show promotions, alternative events, contracts, etc.

    The League's Annual Symposium provides opportunities to earn 10-12 education credits in these Core Subject Areas.  As of January 2025, the League also permits CMEC Candidates to acquire up to (5) education credits through designated on-line educational Forums.  

    CMEC CANDIDATES APPLYING FOR CERTIFICATION

    Individuals who have not attended the League's Annual Symposium in (3) consecutive Symposium years will have all their accumulated educations credits voided and must restart the CMEC Program to attain CMEC Applicant Eligibility. 


    OUTLINE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS

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    • Confirm Eligibility: CMEC Candidates having completed all the requirements for application eligibility will be notified via email no later than July 1 in the year preceding the anticipated Symposium at which the CMEC status would be awarded.  Candidates may also inquire as to their eligibility status at any time by emailing the League.
    • Formal Application:  Applicants must download and complete the Education Committee's CMEC Application and return to the League with a $200 application fee.  The application and an invoice for fees will be generated on request to the League.  All applications and fees must be received by the League no later than September 1st of the year preceding the Annual Symposium at which CMECs are awarded to approved Applicants.  Click HERE to download the Application. 
    • Reference Letters:  Applicants must provide at least (3) letters of recommendation addressed to the Education Committee relative to association with and management of the Applicant’s Equine and/or Agricultural Center. At least one (1) letter must be from a person involved in Equine and/or Agricultural Centers but not with the Candidate’s own employer.
    • Complete Research Essay:  Applicants accepted by the Education Committee shall be assigned a research topic specific to the administration and/or operation of Equine & Agricultural Centers.  Applicants must complete a 500+ word essay with supporting secondary sources and submit to the Education Committee for evaluation. 
    • Oral Interview before Education Committee:  Applicants having satisfied all other application requirements shall appear before the Education Committee for a relaxed presentation of the completed research essay followed by a Q&A discussion about ideas contained therein.

    TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE CMEC APPLICATION AND CMEC STATUS

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    • Applicants, having satisfied all other established application requirements must attend in person the League's Annual Symposium at which CMECs are awarded to Approved Applicants.
    • Applications and associated submission materials such as reference letters and research essays, once submitted, become the sole property of the League and will not be returned to Applicants.
    • Consideration will not be given to Applicants who have material misrepresentations, evidence of plagiarism or AI assistance in their applications and submission materials. 
    • Applications denied by the League for any reason shall have the associated application fee returned, less a processing fee, to the original payment source.  Applications withdrawn by Applicants after submission will not have the associated application fee returned. 

    • The designation "CMEC" may be used following the Awarded Applicant's name on correspondence, letterheads, business cards, and other printed matter where it may appear.

    • Once Applicants have been awarded certification, the said designation shall remain with them permanently, providing re-certification requirements, if any, are satisfied as prescribed by the League's Board of Directors or until decertification by the League's Board of Directors.
    • The CMEC designation should be used only so long as Awarded Applicants are active within the Equine and Agricultural industry sector and have satisfied all re-certification requirements, if any, prescribed by the League Board of Directors.
    • Admission into the Certification Program may be granted by the Education Committee not withstanding the above.


    CMEC RE-CERTIFICATION REQUIRMENTS 

    (3) Year Renewable Term

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    Individuals who have been previously awarded CMEC status by the League must submit application for recertification every (3) years.  Qualifications for CMEC Re-certification remain the same as

    first-time CMEC Candidates however, eligibility to apply varies as noted below:

    • EDUCATION CREDITS: Re-certifying CMECs must have acquired a total of (15) continuing education hours in (3) Core Subject Areas over the prior (3) years as available through the League's Symposiums.  
    • PRESENTER/SPEAKER AT SYMPOSIUM: Re-certifying CMECs, within (3) years of the last awarded certification, must serve as a  speaker/presenter at one or more of the League's Annual Symposiums.  

       OUTLINE  OF APPLICATION PROCESS

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      • Formal Application:  Applicants must download and complete the Education Committee's CMEC Re-Certification Application and return to the League with a $75 application fee.   All applications and fees must be received by the League no later than September 1st of the year preceding the Annual Symposium at which CMEC Re-Certifications are awarded to approved Applicants.
        • Author and Submit Article for Publication:  Applicants must coordinate with the Education Committee an approved topic for a research essay appropriate for an audience of Managers of Equine & Agricultural Centers.  Research essays to be published as articles must be 500+ words in length with appropriately documented secondary sources.
        • Symposium Attendance: Applicants for Re-certification, having satisfied all other application requirements identified above and elsewhere, must attend in person the League's Annual Symposium at which Re-certified CMECs are awarded to  Approved Applicants.

        SILVER CMEC STATUS FOR

        RETIRED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS


        In January 2024, the League's Board of Directors established a distinct category of CMECs  for those retiring from the industry with an active CMEC status.  

        All CMEC certificate holders with an active CMEC at the time of their retirement from the Equine and Agricultural Industry shall be considered a Silver CMEC and be exempt from the requirement for full-time employment with an active Center Member in good standing.  Silver CMECs shall otherwise be eligible in perpetuity for CMEC re-certification according to the League’s current, general policies for CMEC Re-certification.

        TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE CMEC RE-CERTIFCATION APPLICATION AND SILVER CMEC STATUS

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        • All terms and conditions established for first-time CMEC Applications and CMEC status shall apply for re-certified CMECs and Silver CMECs. 
        • All CMEC certificate holders who a) do not meet all the requirements of renewal and/or b) do not complete the re-certification application and submit all required materials in the same year their current certificate expires shall be compelled to repeat all the requirements of the CMEC program for first-time certification. 

        Administration of Certification

        Certification shall be administered by the League through its Board of Directors. The League's Chairman shall appoint an Education Committee consisting of no fewer than two (2) members. The Committee may develop its own internal operating procedures, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The Committee shall report, at least annually, any recommendations for changes to the program. Such suggested changes shall be presented to the Board of Directors for review.

        The League of Agricultural & Equine Centers

        P.O. Box 5537

        Aiken, South Carolina 29803

        803.400.6978

        LeagueAEC@gmail.com

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