Online conferences and seminars, more commonly known as "webinars," helped the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals fulfill its educational and communications mission during a period of shrinking travel budgets, the group's outgoing program chairman said at the organization's annual global conference.

John Caltagirone, who is also vice president of supply chain strategy for The Revere Group, said the launch and expansion of webinars was perhaps the most important accomplishment of his one-year tenure. They helped Caltagirone and CSCMP respond to the biggest challenge of the past year: how to keep the organization relevant when sharp reductions in corporate travel have kept many executives from attending meetings in person.

In light of the webinars' success, Caltagirone hopes to see the group run more in 2010.