William J. O’Toole initiated the EMBOK concept in 1999 in his Masters Thesis work at the University of Sydney comparing project management methodology with the management of events and festivals. His work was included on a website he created to collect data and promote discussion of his topic.
Julia Rutherford Silvers, who had been researching the scope of core competencies for event management, began email correspondence with O’Toole in 2000 regarding his work and expressing interest in the development of an EMBOK. This culminated in the launch of Silvers’ Event Management Body of Knowledge Project on her website in 2003.
An initial global EMBOK framework and taxonomy, based on a comparison of the knowledge systems supporting the event management industry including numerous occupational standards, certification knowledge domains, academic curriculums and literature review, was introduced by Silvers at the 2004 Las Vegas International Hospitality and Convention Summit.
Janet Landey, who had worked closely with O’Toole, Silvers, Dr. Joe Goldblatt, Glenn Bowdin, Dr. Kathy Nelson, and Matthew Gonzalez on numerous projects in conjunction with the International Special Events Society (ISES) and the work of the Institute of Event Management in Johannesburg, hosted the first EMBOK Imbizo in July 2004 in South Africa.
At a two-day retreat at a private game reserve near Kruger National Park, these academic and practitioner experts formed the International EMBOK Executive* and expanded the previous work done by each to develop the conceptual framework for a common international event management body of knowledge that may be customized to meet the needs of various cultures, governments, education programs, and organizations.
The International EMBOK Model was refined at the 2005 International EMBOK Imbizo in Johannesburg, which included participants from Australia, Canada, Germany, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and is being introduced and reviewed for scope and validity at numerous industry and academic conferences throughout the world.
* The International EMBOK Executive
Glenn AJ Bowdin, MPhil, ILTM, Leeds Metropolitan University (UK)
Joe Goldblatt, Ed.D, CSEP, Temple University (US)
Matthew D. Gonzalez, MCSE, PMP, GSI & Events Education (US)
Janet Landey, CSEP, Institute of Event Management (SA)
Kathy Nelson, Ph.D., CSEP, CMP, University of Nevada Las Vegas (US)
William J. O'Toole (AUS)
Julia Rutherford Silvers, CSEP (US)
International EMBOK
http://embok.org/staticpages/index.php/history