The PMI Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter vision is to increase the awareness and value of professional project management for practitioners and organizations in the community we serve.

Happy February! I find it amazing we have put January to bed and are forging ahead! Your Board was busy in January with our Annual Board Planning Meeting. This is a day-long meeting of all Vice Presidents and their Directors held (most) every January to plan for the year ahead. We had a total of 19 Leaders come together for a day packed full of information and ideas for the chapter members in 2025. We discussed what we wanted to accomplish and what we felt was realistic to tackle. We know our members are asking for more in-person events. This is a priority! We have had inquiries about certification training. We will be talking more about this in the near future! We took quality time to meet as teams in our various areas, to get to know each other a bit better. To find out how each member can help every other member of the team to offer the best value to you, our members! We know we exist to serve you – but we also know we need YOUR help to be successful! For February, we will hold a Board Orientation Meeting to help the Board understand how PMIMSL operates and the tools and resources available to those on the Board from PMI to be able to do their best job for you! This is in addition to our monthly Board meetings. (Your Board is busy!) We will hold our first chapter meeting on the 19th of February at Maritz Corporation: our Annual Membership Meeting! This is the time we recap for our members all we did in 2024 and our plans for 2025. This is your opportunity to meet your 2025 Board and tell them what you would like to see happen with the Chapter. We will take your ideas and see how (and if) we can work them into the plans for 2025 and beyond. We will be looking for more volunteers. We cannot hope to meet the needs of our members without YOUR help. We will have plenty of opportunities to volunteer! If you are interested, I recommend making sure your VEP (Volunteer Engagement Platform) profile is up to date! To be a successful chapter, we need YOU, the members, to tell us what you need. Check out the ‘Board of Directors’ page and send an email to any of us to let us know what you feel is important for your Board to consider going forward! Stay tuned – we have a lot to offer in 2025, and we are excited to have you along for the ride! Welcome to 2025! As your incoming President, I hope you all had a restful, refreshing Holiday season! If I seem familiar to some, yes, I have been here before! It does feel weird to say 2025, as the last time I was writing member letters was in 2012! A lot has happened since then, both for me and for the Chapter. As I came off the PMIMSL Board at the end of 2013, I began as the Region 6 Mentor, working with the Boards in 26 Chapters in our Region of 8 states. This was challenging and exciting, and I learned more about PMI on a global level. When that role was over, I served on the Chapter Insight Team (CIT) – another global role, this time acting as the ‘voice of the chapter’ to PMI. Even though this role began about the same time as Covid, which limited my in-person interactions; I enjoyed supporting the Chapters and various Chapter initiatives within PMI. I also worked on other PMI projects: creating coursework for Chapter Leaders, managing conflict within chapters and working on the chapter conflict process, and possibly my favorite: judging various awards program candidates! All of this gave me a better understanding of what PMI is all about and the opportunities open to our members. While we will have many Chapter volunteer opportunities coming up this year (more to come on this), there are also various opportunities on the Global level. If you are interested, I recommend making sure your VEP (Volunteer Engagement Platform) profile is up to date! More importantly, on the Chapter level, in 2012 we had just under 1400 members. Going into 2020 we had grown to over 2000 members, then Covid hit us all. PMI membership dropped globally and PMIMSL was no exception. We hit a low of 1479 and are slowly rebounding. For December 2024, we were at 1500 members. I believe 2024 was a turning point. We celebrated 30 years as a Chapter with a celebration at the St. Louis Zoo! We had over 100 members, several past Presidents, a member of the PMI Board of Directors and even a Proclamation from the Mayor of St. Louis congratulating us on our 30 years! It was exciting to see members together again and it seems you, the members, want more in-person events! In November we combined IPM Day with our annual Volunteer Recognition event. It is always an honor to celebrate those members who volunteer to support the Chapter. I realize our members are very busy with personal and professional pursuits, and I am grateful for their time given to the chapter! Your Board is gearing up for 2025, planning more in-person events: meetings, Mentoring, Outreach, trainings, networking, etc. Keep a watch on our website, which we are continually updating, to see what’s happening. To be a successful chapter, we need YOU, the members, to tell us what you need. Check out the ‘Board of Directors’ page and send an email to any of us to let us know what you feel is important for your Board to consider going forward! Put February 19 on your calendar for our Annual Membership Meeting, to be held at Maritz Corporation. Registration will be open soon through our website along with more details! We need to know what ‘Lights you Up’ about Project Management in the St. Louis metro area! What is PMIMSL’s PMI: Next? How can we help you Maximize Project Success? Stay tuned – we have a lot to offer in 2025, and we are excited to have you along for the ride! Military Spotlight Name: Blake HenryTitle: HQ Air Mobility Command Munitions Functional ManagerOrganization: United States Air Force 1) With what service of the military are/were you affiliated? United States Air Force 2) How long did you serve? Currently serving (17 years)   3) How did you hear about and become involved in PMI? I didn’t hear about PMI until I was well into college trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I jumped around a bit in college from undergrad to undergrad until landing on an International Business degree with a minor in Economics. This is when I took my first Project Management course as it related to the business sector. I fell in love with the idea of PM and switched my entire degree (and school) to Colorado State University who offered a degree in Project Management. Here is where I really learned about PMI, certifications, and what PMI had to offer. After finishing my undergrad in Project Management, I focused my efforts on the PMP in 2018/2019. At this time, my Division at HQ Air Mobility Command offered free seats in a PMP Boot Camp, which I jumped on immediately. A lot of the information was not new, but the study habits, test taking strategies, application assistance, and overall course material was outstanding. After the course, I translated my military experience over the previous years into “project speak” for my application, which was ultimately accepted by PMI, and I was able to sit for the test. Unfortunately, my test was scheduled in the height of COVID, and I took my test virtually through Pearson. After getting test results and a passing score, I then set my sight on getting more involved as a volunteer through the local chapter. I joined the PMIMSL chapter and began looking for a volunteer position and landed on the Military Transition and Certification lead. This position has given me the opportunity to fulfill my passion for assisting transitioning service members and active military in pursuing a career or certification in PM. 4) What advice do you have for current or past military members who want to pursue a career in project management? Thoroughly research PM and get involved with the PM community! I’ve not met a PMP holder who was not overly excited about sharing his/her experience and offering pointers and mentorship. Find a PM mentor in the sector or industry who can assist you with education, training, the PMI application, and test prep. Explore education and training opportunities that the Military and Veteran communities have to offer – you might be surprised how cheap or free they can be! PMIMSL offers all of this and more. So, in short, my advice would be to check out the PMIMSL Chapter! Title: Program Manager Organization: Express Scripts Sector: PBM Operations, Supply Chain PMO Name: Schalena RobinsonTitle: Program ManagerOrganization: Express ScriptsSector: PBM Operations, Supply Chain PMO 1) How did you get started in project management? I was introduced to project management during my search for a graduate program. After learning and understanding what project management was, I realized it had actually been part of my professional experience for quite some time. After completing my graduate degree in Project Management, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to fill my current position at Express Scripts as a project manager. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? I’ve had the opportunity to manage a variety of projects during my time at Express Scripts. It’s quite difficult to pick a favorite; but the projects I enjoy the most are those that rely heavily on creative and innovative solutions. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding aspect of my job is being able to work with some truly incredible people and learn something new every day. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? In the next 3-5 years, I see myself searching for leadership opportunities and trying to achieve a balance in being able to be both a leader and project manager. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? Shortly after starting at Express Scripts, I had the pleasure of meeting with Katie Walsh, the Chief Operating Officer of the PBM. In that brief and impactful 30 minutes, I knew Katie was going to be an exceptional leader. Katie’s genuine care and desire to develop others is admirable and inspiring. She leads by example and her ability to achieve and maintain work-life balance is extraordinary. Military Spotlight Name: Evan BreedloveTitle: Program Manager and PMP Exam Prep Course DirectorOrganization: C5T 1) With what service of the military are/were you affiliated? United States Air Force 2) How long did you serve? 22 years   3) How did you hear about and become involved in PMI? Upon beginning my transition and scouring various job boards, all of the jobs I was drawn to either required or strongly desired a PMP certification. I found I could get the requisite 35 contact hours through a Syracuse University veterans’ program, while I worked in my new civilian job as a budget analyst supporting USTRANSCOM’s Training and Exercise Division. While working through the Syracuse program, I was hired to my current job – again through a contact I made prior to retiring. My company was looking to expand program management as a core capability and began offering a PMP certification boot camp. Since I mentioned my desire to earn the PMP certification during the hiring process, I was given the opportunity to be in the inaugural class. Through the Syracuse program and my company’s boot camp, I successfully passed the exam on my first try. Along with my contract duties supporting USTRANSCOM’s Deliberate Plans Division, I also manage my company’s PMP Boot Camp program. 4) What advice do you have for current or past military members who want to pursue a career in project management? My advice to anyone considering post-military employment is to pursue the PMP certification. Whether the job you land is in project management or not, the skills and techniques you learn along the way will make you an asset to your future employer. Women in Project Management Name: Tina AndersonTitle: Sr. Business Project Advisor Organization: Cigna/EvernorthSector: Health Care 1) Can you briefly help us understand your current role? My role is to work cross functionally with the Business and/or Technology to lead Programs, Business Initiatives and Process Improvements. 2) How did you get started in project management? I was transitioned to a project management team during a department reorg, about 7 years ago. Since then, I’ve studied and achieved my CSSGB in 2017 and PMP certification in 2019. 3) What three words best describe you? Dependable, Organized, and Analytical. 4) What has been the most exciting project you’ve worked on? Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to help bring a mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinic to the parking lot of the Orlando Accredo Campus (my home office). 5) How has project management been important to your organization? Project management brings structure and organization to large, cross-functional projects and helps teams get things done. 6) What is one fun fact we should know about you? I am an adult fan of Lego and have built many large sets including most recently the Colosseum and the Millennium Falcon. 7) What is the single most important skill you look for in a project manager? Organizational skills are a must-have for project managers! 8) Have you seen an increase in project managers who are women at your organization? I can’t say if there’s been an increase, but what I can say is I’ve been on teams that are comprised mostly of women for years in my current organization. 9) How has your PMI certification(s) help you drive value for your organization? Earning my PMP certification allowed me to demonstrate my commitment to being a project manager. It helped me to better understand project management methodologies and improve my skills so I could deliver successful projects for my organization. 10) What is most rewarding about projects? Helping people bring their ideas to life! Title: Program Manager III Organization: Centene Sector: Provider Network Development Name: Kait CampbellTitle: Program Manager III, Network Development Organization: CenteneSector: Provider Network Development 1) How did you get started in project management? I began my start in project management at Centene Corporation in 2017. I managed various pilots for my team, in hopes these pilots would be successful and scalable across the country. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? My favorite project is the Provider Accessibility Initiative. Providers across the country must be ADA accessible for our member with disabilities, and their companions that accompany them to the office visit. My role is to make sure that all stakeholders are set up for success, and ensure that everyone has the appropriate training, and resources needed so that our members have equal access to quality healthcare. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most reporting aspect of my job is building relationships across various departments. Also, I enjoy being able to measure success knowing that the progress made impacts the company’s bottom line. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? In the next 3-5 years, I see myself in a Director position at Centene Corporation. I hope to leverage the relationships I’m building today to grow my team, skillset, and knowledge of healthcare. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? A leader I admire is Sarah Triano, Senior Director of Policy and Innovation at Centene Corporation. She is a strong disability advocate who has pushed me to identify my strengths in project management, and become an advocate for the people who are impacted by my projects. One of Sarah’s strengths is the gift of storytelling, which is being able to persuade anyone at any leadership level, and receive buy in on projects that affect ROI and impact to the community. Volunteer Spotlight Name: Danelle A. DancyTitle: Project SpecialistOrganization: Peraton 1) What volunteer position do you currently hold? Communications Team – assist with Volunteer Spotlight, Women in Project Management andother team items as needed.   2) What are the duties/responsibilities of your current role? Gather all information necessary to publish on community website. 3) How long have you been in this role? 2 years 4) How long have you been volunteering for PMI? 2 years   5) What is your favorite thing about volunteering? The satisfaction of bringing notoriety to PMI-STL community members and assisting withhighlighting Women in Project Management. It’s always exciting to see other women working inthe profession. Title: Business Project Manager Organization: Bayer U.S. - Crop Science Sector: Product Supply, Strategy & Transformation Name: Matt StudieTitle: Business Project Management Organization: Bayer U.S. - Crop ScienceSector: Product, Strategy & Transformation 1) How did you get started in project management? It has really been a part of my career from the very beginning. I started working at Target in Logistics right out of Undergrad. Fortunately I had a leader that was experienced in project management and helped me understand how each process was really its own project with specific stakeholders (Customers, Employees, Vendors…), budgets (payroll) and scope of what needed to be done. Once that was understood she taught me to think about how to level resources across processes, get buy in from teams by taking special interest in the people you work, motivate and promote and give/receive feedback from team members and how to create safe/ highly efficient teams. I've carried and refined these lessons ever sense. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? I truly enjoy the global digital transformation projects. First of all working on a global team is so exiting. Getting to learn and leverage very diverse ideas and cultures. Digital transformation is also rewarding brining new technology to make processes and/or giving our company a completive advantage. Some of the latest technology is simply amazing, real time insights to make decisions better, faster and more agile is a game changer. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? I think the most rewarding pieces of my job are around teaching/training and taking very complex projects and simplifying them. Teaching new members on the team, getting them familiar with teams and the organization is exciting and grounding. It allows me to step out of the day to day and tie back to the fundamentals. Some projects are very complex and our organization is very large and can sometimes be hard to understand it all. I really enjoy diving deep into an area that may be unclear and documenting/breaking it down so that it's easy to understand and make a clear path for success. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I see myself continuing to work in transformation projects maybe in a more strategic role. I would like to continue to learn from great leaders and continue to work to be a better leader myself. 5) What three words best describe you? Adaptable, Efficient and Inclusive Military Spotlight Name: Tracy ComerTitle: Kforce Organization: Consultant 1) What volunteer position do you currently hold? Mentoring Event Coordinator Academic Outreach Student Venue Manager 2) What are the duties/responsibilities of your current role? For Mentoring Event Coordinator, I organize the traditional mentoring and speed mentoring events for the chapter. Traditional mentoring includes presenting the program details at chapter pre-dinner meetings, matching volunteers with each other, gathering feedback from volunteers, and mentoring volunteers. Speed mentoring includes presenting the event details during the events, reserving meeting space, food, and drinks with venues, and gathering feedback from attendees. For Student Venue Manager, I contact staff at Universities and Colleges to describe and offer services and resources that the school staff and students can obtain from the chapter’s members. This builds relationships between the chapter and local schools.   3) How long have you been in this role? Since 2017 for both positions. 4) How long have you been volunteering for PMI? Since 2017. 5) What is your favorite thing about volunteering? Volunteering helps me build and enhance my skills, and also allows me to meet and communicate with talented people that I might not otherwise have a chance to interact with. Volunteer Spotlight Name: Matthew IngramTitle: Kforce Organization: Consultant 1) What volunteer position do you currently hold? Mentoring Event Coordinator Academic Outreach Student Venue Manager 2) What are the duties/responsibilities of your current role? For Mentoring Event Coordinator, I organize the traditional mentoring and speed mentoring events for the chapter. Traditional mentoring includes presenting the program details at chapter pre-dinner meetings, matching volunteers with each other, gathering feedback from volunteers, and mentoring volunteers. Speed mentoring includes presenting the event details during the events, reserving meeting space, food, and drinks with venues, and gathering feedback from attendees. For Student Venue Manager, I contact staff at Universities and Colleges to describe and offer services and resources that the school staff and students can obtain from the chapter’s members. This builds relationships between the chapter and local schools.   3) How long have you been in this role? Since 2017 for both positions. 4) How long have you been volunteering for PMI? Since 2017. 5) What is your favorite thing about volunteering? Volunteering helps me build and enhance my skills, and also allows me to meet and communicate with talented people that I might not otherwise have a chance to interact with. Emerging Leader Name: Abby BuckTitle: Senior Project Manager Organization: Lumeris Sector: Marketing 1) How did you get started in project management? I began working at Fleishman Hillard immediately after I graduated from Truman State University in 2013. At Fleishman Hillard, I managed client expectations and developed strategic marketing plans and concepts in collaboration with the Creative Team for Fortune 100 technology, healthcare, sports & entertainment, agriculture, organizations. My role entailed full-service marketing production management including digital, video, and print materials. Key management moments that I am most proud of include the restructuring of their Presentation Team process and organization and helping develop a Financial Model that was then used for company-wide adaptation. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? My favorite project to date was managing HBO’s launch of DRTV. Along with an incredible team, I managed the development and execution of the creative materials that would debut HBO’s new product at an exclusive event in New York City. It was amazing seeing all the hard work of the design and management team pay of at a wildly successful event. I was even able to meet Reese Witherspoon, who was a key speaker for the event! 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding aspect of my job is being able to use my natural passion for creative problem solving and concept development. Successful and rewarding management, for me, is best accomplished when there is a focus on empathy. I truly enjoy helping organizations connect with their audience and internal teams while considering inclusion and scalability. I look forward to taking my national and global experience and applying it to innovative organizations for years to come. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I see myself continuing to learn and grow within the field of Creative Marketing. During a pandemic, that has and will continue to result in huge shifts in how we connect as a community (both globally and locally), it is challenging to say what will personally come my way. Within Marketing and Project Management, how we will reach our audience members and stay relevant within this economy will naturally need to be extremely flexible as we learn how to navigate this new phase of life. Our new “normal” will not be our old “normal”, but I know my adaptable, creative-solution-oriented, and community-minded personality and management style will adjust to whatever is thrown my way. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? I admire Julia Milner, who was my first boss within the Project Management world. Julia is extremely intelligent and has an inspiring approach in how she taught others all the lessons she had learned throughout the years. She is kind, flexible, realistic, honest, and extremely creative. Clients truly trust her with managing their work because she has proven time and time again to always have their best interest in mind. She made work fun for everyone, even during challenging times. I truly believe that consistency, intelligence and empathy when managing any project and team go a long way and always pay off in the end. Julia embodied this management style and I have and always will continue to look up to her and value the lessons she taught me. Thank you, Julia! Women in Project Management Name: Iryna Dekhtiar Title: Senior Change and Performance Consultant Organization: Bayer Sector: Life Science 1) Can you briefly help us understand your current role? I am an in-house consultant at Bayer, specializing in change management. All of my work is project based. As of January through the end of September 2020, I am working as a Change and Communication Lead for a system integration project at Bayer Crop Science organization here in the United States. I have a background in human resources, but the projects I work on can be in any function. For example, the current project I’m working on is with our supply chain organization. 2) How did you get started in project management? I started getting involved in project management in the beginning of my career in 2005 in Ukraine. 3) What three words best describe you? Goal-oriented, team player, cosmopolitan 4) What has been the most exciting project you’ve worked on? The launch of the new global performance approach at Bayer in 2018-2019. This project had a combination of my 2 favorite topics – people development and change management. The experience I gained from this project led me to my current role with the Bayer global team of change and performance consultants. These aren’t the only exciting things connected to this project, there were many more. I would say it was a once in a lifetime experience for an HR professional to participate in the creation and launch of such an approach with the global scope. The most exciting aspect of this project was the people I met - amazing, highly professional people with different backgrounds from all over the world. We learned from each other, had a lot of fun together and I still keep in touch with some of them. 5) How has project management been important to your organization? Extremely important. To keep up with the rapid pace of changes in modern life, efficient project management is one of the success factors for any organization, especially a global one. 6) What is one fun fact we should know about you? I collect driver’s licenses. At this point in my life, I’ve lived in 3 countries – Ukraine, Germany and the United States. With each move, I had to get a new driver’s license, which means I had to learn and pass the theoretical and practical tests. 7) What historical project do you wish you could have worked on? I did and still do, the Bayer-Monsanto merger. My involvement in the projects related to the merger started before it was finalized, and my current project is also related to this merger. We are working on systems integration for the supply change organization at Bayer and Monsanto as One Company. It is another “once in a life experience” I was lucky to obtain – to work on one of the biggest acquisitions in the history of the business. 8) What is most rewarding about working on projects? First: Meeting new people with diverse backgrounds and learning from them. Second: Project management is the best way to get self-organized. And there is no limitation to master this skill. Women in Project Management Name: Kimberly ChappelearTitle: Project Manager Organization: Cigna/Express Scripts Sector: Healthcare 1) Can you briefly help us understand your current role? I am currently a Project Manager for our Phoenix system within the Retail Networks team at Express Scripts. I work as the liaison between our team and cross functional partners to act as a system SME while understanding, managing and implementing projects for system enhancements and new capabilities needed for Phoenix. 2) How did you get started in project management? I got into project management from my past position as an account manager at a consulting firm which involved meeting with various IT Directors and Project Managers to learn their business and understand their IT projects in order to track them from a resource standpoint. After meeting and building relationships with the stakeholders of these projects, I realized I possessed and utilized many of the skills needed as a Project Manager and I really enjoyed these aspects. From there, I joined Express Scripts and have been given the chance to formalize these skills and expand on them by learning from my great colleagues around me! 3) What three words best describe you? Ambitious, sincere and resilient 4) How has project management been important to your organization? Within Express Scripts, one thing that is constant is change. From just the nature of the industry to how Express Scripts continues to evolve their business, there are always new ideas being thought of and innovation is always present. With that, I believe project management is essential to bringing these ideas to life in a structured process in order to make a difference for our clients and communities. Someone has to put the puzzle pieces together! 5) What is one fun fact we should know about you? A fun fact about myself is that I broke both of my feet within a week of each other, not many people can say that. Disclaimer: I SWEAR I am coordinated. 6) What is the single most important skill you look for in a project manager? I think communication is one of the most important skills needed in project management. Communication can be a broad term but if you have great ideas and knowledge that needs to be shared but you can’t communicate in a way that makes other people want to engage and invest in you and/or your project, you’ll have a harder time building the relationships needed to make youself and your projects successful. 7) To Whom would you give an honorary PMI Certification? Have you seen an increase in project managers who are women at your organization. One thing that pleasantly surprised me when starting my role at Express Scripts was how many women are not only in project management but also leadership roles. I’ve learned a lot from the people around me, both men and women, but it’s nice to look around and see other women holding high level positions and think that could possibly be you one day (hopefully sooner than later!). Title: Senior Project Manager; Organization: Cigna/ Express Scripts Sector: Supply Chain/Retail Network Operations Name: John LathionTitle: Senior Project Manager Organization: Cigna/Express Scripts Sector: Supply Chain, Retail Network Operations 1) How did you get started in project management? At a very pivotal moment in my career, I was fortunate enough to work for a senior leader who also took me under her wing as a mentee. Her background was in project management; specifically, Six Sigma. Witnessing the value that project management brought into initiatives, and operations lit a fire within me that will most likely burn forever. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? One of my favorite projects that I have been a part of is ironically one that I am currently helping to lead. Not only will it create operational efficiencies and increase margins, it will also directly create value for our customers; hitting that sweet spot is truly rewarding. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding part of my job are the relationships that I build along the way. People are our most important asset, and finding ways to be of service to them while also delivering value back to the business is a dream come true. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? In the next 3-5 years, I see myself helping organizations transition towards the culture shifts, and business outcomes they desire. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? o A leader that I have come to admire is Katie Walsh, VP of the Retail Network Operations group here at Express Scripts. Witnessing her help people shift their focus between the "big picture" view, and the details required for precise execution is absolutely humbling; it appears to happen effortlessly for her. If there was a "gold standard" for people leadership, she would be it Title: Project Manager; Organization: Express Scripts Sector: Strategic Initiatives Name: Mary Kate RenaudTitle: Effectiveness Project Manager Organization: Express Scripts Sector: Strategic Initiatives 1) How did you get started in project management? My first pass at Project Management was right out of college. I worked at a marketing agency as a PM intern, which was enjoyable, but I ended up choosing a different path in the beginning of my career. I got back into Project Management at the advice and coaching of one of my all-time favorite managers, Peter Rosomoff. I worked for him in his Strategic Analytics department for two years where he challenged me with projects that developed my PM skills. He continually pushed me to develop this skill set, which ultimately landed me in the Strategic Initiatives department with the PM’s that manage our Operations Initiatives at Express Scripts. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? Does planning my wedding count? Outside of that, my favorite project I’ve worked on is the Retention arm of a large portfolio of projects to grow the Express Scripts pharmacy. Retention is specifically focused on retaining the patients that we currently serve. It’s a fast-paced initiative full of pilots and new and exciting ideas. We’re constantly able to share results which keeps the positive momentum going. It’s hard to have a more fun project than that! 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding aspect of my job is setting the team up for success and then reporting on their successes. Organizing the steps that the team needs to take in order to successfully execute on their work and then reporting on their successes makes me feel proud and accomplished. I’m often in awe of the subject matter experts that I am lucky enough to work with so helping them to be successful and then highlighting their work is highly rewarding. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? In the next 5 years or so I hope to have gained a significant amount of Pharmacy Operations knowledge and progressed in my career here at Express Scripts. I hope to be working alongside the bright minds that are mentoring me now. Maybe I’ll also be lucky enough to mentor someone else in the early stages of their Project Management career. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? There are many leaders than I admire for a variety of reasons. Most recently I have developed an admiration for Susan Peppers, VP of Pharmacy Practice at Express Scripts. Susan is leading a large initiative that I’m PM’ing. I admire her knowledge of our industry and her ability to boil down lofty and complex goals into focused objectives. And, of course, I find a woman excelling in a leadership position to be highly admirable. Title: Project Manager Organization: Express Scripts Sector: Retail Network Operations Name: Marty MurrayTitle: Project Manager Organization: Express ScriptsSector: Retail Network Operations 1) How did you get started in project management? When I think of Project Management I believe everyone is in it one way or another. My professional route to Project Management began the most traditional way as an intern while in college. My first role was as a project coordinator in BJC Healthcare’s Center for Clinical Excellence (CCE). I enjoyed the challenge of being a business analyst early in my career; but the flexibility and control of project management was more alluring. Assisting on projects that were focused on helping patients was one of the best motivating factors. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? Former Project- “Innovation Space”. My favorite project by far was the Readmission Reduction Program I managed while in Centene’s Clinical Programs department. The rising cost of emergency room and medical in-patient stays are in issue for patients, hospitals, and managed care organizations. I am fortunate that I was able to manage our departments approach to solving that issue. The project was my favorite because of the diversity of stakeholders, span of subsidiaries across the country and the data science that underlined the project. I was fascinated with the predicative analytics that measured the outcome of patients readmitting back into the hospital. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? If you ask any project manager they will tell you that the majority of their responsibility is communication. For me it is a great feeling when you encounter a group that isn’t quite sure what the need or how they will solve an issue; then work to be a bridge for them with key stakeholders. Problem solving is the most rewarding aspect of my job. It helps when you can be the middle person between the business side and technology to solve issues that affect everyday people. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I have been able to see what project management looks like in the construction industry, the healthcare industry, the Information Technology industry, and in the non-profit sector. Additionally, I have worked for companies that are as small as three employees and as large as multi-billion dollar corporations. When I sit back and plot out my next career move; I am looking for depth and outcomes. In the next three to five years I plan to dig-in my heels with Cigna/ Express Scripts and apply all the knowledge I have gained to this point. Ideally, in five years I would have contributed to the development of an enterprise PMO, published a Project Management 101 curriculum, and worked my way into a directorship within the firm. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? I have been fortunate enough to have some world class mentors along the way. When I think of the one I admire the most it is Dawn Naney, Director of Information Technology at Centene. Dawn was the first person to introduce me to project management at BJC Healthcare. Whether it was my running into issues with projects or tips on pursing my PMP; Dawn has been there every step of the way. I am quite certain there is no problem that she can not solve. Throughout her career I have watched her accomplish tremendous outcomes and manage some of the most difficult stakeholders. At times I often try to emulate her “X-Factor.” Dawn just finds a way to get things done. 2011-2012 What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment as PMIMSL -President? Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter was awarded the Chapter of the Year, Category III in 2013, for the achievements during the calendar year 2012, while I was President. That year, we were the only Chapter in North America to be awarded Chapter of the Year in any category! This is a phenomenal honor for any Chapter, and I was extremely proud of our Chapter. However, this was the culmination of work of every Board member that year and every Volunteer who helped make the events we offered successful. Although I was President, this award would not have been possible without a fabulous Board and willing Volunteers! How did you get started in Project Management? I was employed by EDS (later bought out by HP), as a ‘Systems Analyst’ (programmer); and was not happy coding! I was also at a bit of a personal crossroads (all good) and needed to make a career change. I was working on the WorldCom account and there was an opportunity for Business Analyst work. I found I really enjoyed the requirements gathering and project work. An opportunity then opened at the GM Wentzville account for a Global Project Manager, for a virtual team. I found this was a good fit for me, I then joined PMI and obtained my PMP later that year. What is your favorite inspirational/professional quote? “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Albert Pike What three Leadership Principles have you discovered that have contributed to your success? Lead by Example Don’t ask more from your Board/Members than what you are willing to do. Do the right thing (attend the meeting; talk to the membership; take the training; etc.), even if it might be inconvenient for you. Develop the Leadership Qualities of your Board/Members Know your Board, find their strengths and work to help them develop their leadership abilities. I am very proud of the fact I ‘identified’ the last 5 Presidents and encouraged them to seek their potentials! Embrace Diversity and Collaboration Our membership is diverse, therefore, our Board – our Leaders – need to be diverse. I feel PMIMSL does this very well! And as we collaborate with our members and other organizations (corporate and educational), our potential is endless! What suggestions would you recommend for a good “Work/Life” balance? One must determine what is important to you, and it is never easy! As I am now retired, I sometimes regret not spending more time with my children. However, as a single mother, I really had no choice. And my girls are wonderful adults! The balance falls in not beating yourself up ‘not doing’ something, rather realizing the better you feel about yourself (be it work accomplishments, Volunteering – for PMI or other organizations, or watching your child during a school event, etc.); the better balance you will have. What advice would you give to someone that is considering being candidate for PMIMSL President? I give the same advice I gave those coming after me and to the 26 Boards in Region 6 I worked with as Region Mentor (yes, I still volunteer for PMI!). As President (and/or Board Member), you are the Leader of the organization, NOT the ‘doer’. Your job is to gather as many Volunteers under you to do the work of the organization and encourage them to want to take on more responsibilities as Leaders. If you (or your Board) do all the work, no one will want to take on that responsibility! If your job ‘looks’ easy, more members will want to become involved! And as Venus would say: “Have fun!” 2015 to 2016 What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment as PMIMSL President? Consistent membership growth between 10 to 15% throughout my tenure as PMIMSL President. Re-Introduction of PMI-PBA and Full Day Professional Day Conference How did you get started in Project Management? Just like so many other project managers, I was one of the "Accidental" project manager. I was the lead technical manager and I was handed over the responsibilities to manage Mergers and Acquisitions programs back in 2005. What is your favorite inspirational/professional quote? Good Things Happen When People Talk to Each Other... What three Leadership Principles have you discovered that have contributed to your success? Servant Leadership Influencing Adaptable What suggestions would you recommend for a good “Work/Life” balance? Know how to say "No" and start delegating work to the others Empower other volunteers What advice would you give to someone that is considering being candidate for PMIMSL President? It's not just one position; it is comprised of 8-10 Vice President Positions. Forget to sleep before midnight 2017-2018 What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment as PMIMSL President? Hosting Region 6 Leadership Meeting for the second time, being the first chapter in Region 6 incorporating global and regional leadership planning model. How did you get started in Project Management? Early on, my boss saw me leading team informally and asked me to lead a project team. Quickly after that landed myself in position to lead multiple projects. After 5 years in workforce, moved into a formal Project Management Title position. What is your favorite inspirational/professional quote? Be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi. What three Leadership Principles have you discovered that have contributed to your success? Delegate to your team Build relationship among your team members Learn when to say NO and say it What suggestions would you recommend for a good “Work/Life” balance? Prioritization - Identify what is important, urgent and respond to those first before anything else. Delegation - Delegating work builds trust in your team members and frees up your bandwidth to focus on more important decisions. My Time - Don't forget time for yourself. Everyone needs time to relax and recharge. What advice would you give to someone that is considering being candidate for PMIMSL President? Just Do It! Don't let anything keep you away from leading your community that needs your leadership. Title: Effectiveness Project Leader-- Transforming the Organization’s Culture and Performance Results through Outstanding Business Architecture, Collaboration & Execution Organization: Boeing Government Training Systems & Services Sector: Aerospace & Defense Name: Rebecca SabogalTitle: Effectiveness Project Leader-- Transforming the Organization’s Culture and Performance Results through Outstanding Business Architecture, Collaboration & Execution Organization: Boeing Government Training Systems & Services Sector: Aerospace & Defense 1) How did you get started in project management? My career started in Business Operations where I was given the opportunity to work on special projects. I fell in love with being able to define the “Why”, “What”, “Who”, “When” & “Where” for my teammates and being able to solve problems, unblock barriers, and ultimately become effective as a team. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? Former Project- “Innovation Space”. I was charged with setting up a multi-functional team to organize, review and execute support of Innovation Ideas. These ideas would not only remove barriers / improve employee morale, but also ended up in Cost Savings for the organization. Within six months, the team had a future outlook of 10+ Innovation projects with a projected significant cost savings. Leading Innovation Space gave me a true idea of what I have wanted to spend the rest of career pursuing. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Being able to solve problems that have been existing for years and make people’s lives easier in the process. Keep it simple and focus on solving the actual problem are my goals. I also love coaching others—while watching as they become inspired to become effective at their roles. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I love what I do and I want to keep working with this skillset, just with more complex / larger scope problems. I would also like to lead a dedicated team or organizations dedicated to unblocking problems, setting up processes and best practices that make our business more effective at being excellent. In my heart, I am a coach and when others succeed around me because I’ve been able to partner with them, it makes my day! We are nothing without our teams and the relationships’ trust that go with them. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? I admire Queen Rania of Jordan. She’s elegant, well-spoken and an intelligent individual who is passionate about making positive change happen. Her influence and passion for education is inspiring, as well as her taste in fashion! Title: Project Manager Organization: Express Scripts Sector: Supply Chain; Retail Network Operations Name: Ena KadricTitle: Project Manager Organization: Express ScriptsSector: Supply Chain; Retail Network Operations 1) How did you get started in project management? My path to project management has not been a traditional one. From intake and execution in the staffing and consulting industry to engagement management with Agile transformations, it took me time to understand that what I had been doing in my career fell under the project management umbrella. It was at Express Scripts that I could actually define and put a title to the principles and processes I had followed. Now I’m taking every step I can to fully integrate myself into this world. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? The Patient Assurance Program was my favorite project, hands down. We often talk about Project Managers turning dreams and ideas into reality, and for millions of diabetic patients across the US, a fixed, affordable copay for insulin is now attainable. There is no better feeling than knowing that you have contributed to the betterment of someone’s life. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? I get a lot of satisfaction watching a project evolve into something tangible and looking back on the hurdles we jumped to get there. It may not look like much over the span of a few chaotic days or weeks, but when you get to the point where you notice the achievements, it’s hard not to feel proud. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? To start, I want to dive even deeper into project management and process improvement, simultaneously growing my understanding of my industry and the cross-functional partners I work with. In the next 3-5 years, I hope to be on the path to both people leadership and expertise in an area I’m truly passionate about, where I feel I can make a positive impact on my team and my organization. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? I am convinced that my department has the best leaders in our organization and I admire so many of them for a variety of reasons. However, one specific leader that has really made an impact on me is my Sr. Manager, Melissa Abrams. Melissa is the definition of a player-coach; not only is she a phenomenal people leader who genuinely cares for her team on both a personal and professional level, but she purposely seeks out opportunities to get into the weeds on complex projects herself. She provides guidance, support, and proof that you can, in fact, do both. She motivates her team to get out of their comfort zones while setting the example of it herself, and it’s especially inspiring for someone like myself who wants to go down a similar path. Title: Project Manager, Portfolio Management and Capabilities Organization: Bayer Sector: Crop Science Name: Ruohan LiuTitle: Project Manager, Portfolio Management and CapabilitiesOrganization: BayerSector: Crop Science 1) How did you get started in project management? Prior to an official project manager role, I was managing an agronomic program implementation for R&D. During the process, I noticed the importance of project management skills and structure that a PM can provide. I took a training on Project Management and got myself really interested in future development in this area. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? My favorite project is the digital transformation project I worked on last year. For this project, we delivered a digital platform that provided an end to end solution for internal contracted growers at the global region. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding piece is to see the products launched to our customers and their excitement about the products. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I am looking forward to learning more in the area of project management. I look forward to finding opportunities to take on more strategic projects that transform the way we do agricultural business. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? Sheryl Sandberg. She is a bold leader in leading change, and an outstanding negotiator at business. She also represents a perfect balance between home life and work life. Title: Project Manager, Portfolio Management and Capabilities Organization: Bayer Sector: Crop Science Name: Ruohan LiuTitle: Project Manager, Portfolio Management and CapabilitiesOrganization: BayerSector: Crop Science 1) How did you get started in project management? Prior to an official project manager role, I was managing an agronomic program implementation for R&D. During the process, I noticed the importance of project management skills and structure that a PM can provide. I took a training on Project Management and got myself really interested in future development in this area. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? My favorite project is the digital transformation project I worked on last year. For this project, we delivered a digital platform that provided an end to end solution for internal contracted growers at the global region. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding piece is to see the products launched to our customers and their excitement about the products. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I am looking forward to learning more in the area of project management. I look forward to finding opportunities to take on more strategic projects that transform the way we do agricultural business. 5) Who is a leader that you admire and why? Sheryl Sandberg. She is a bold leader in leading change, and an outstanding negotiator at business. She also represents a perfect balance between home life and work life. Bid to win a gift certificate good toward a PMI Instrutor-Led Prep Class or the upcoming IPM Day! Click here to bid today! Title: Project ManagerOrganization: Bradford & Galt Name: Alyssa VukovicTitle: Project ManagerOrganization: Bradford & GaltPrevious experience at Charter and St. Louis Economic Development PartnershipLinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssavukovic/ 1) How did you get started in Project Management? At my first job after college I had the flexibility to work on a few side projects and found I genuinely enjoyed that type of work. I found it gratifying to develop complicated plans and organize resources effectively to achieve desired outcomes and continued to gravitate toward project-like work. 2) What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on? One of my favorite projects this year was for a team’s staffing strategy of increasing total headcount. I helped develop and implement a process flow for hiring managers to use, which improved time-to-fill by an average of 19 days. 3) What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? It is very rewarding to see when the work that I do has a measurable, strong and positive impact. This is why even outside of my day-to-day work I am volunteering with organizations like the St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities or the International Institute St. Louis. 4) Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years? I’m really excited to flex the skills I’ve learned in the last 18 months, and will be working to establish myself as an expert in project management. I hope in the next 3-5 years I’ll be working with teams that can rely on me for this expertise. 5) Who is the leader that you admire and why? I’ve worked for a few really good mentors and leaders in the last few years, which makes it difficult to pick just one. Let me instead explain one quality that they all had in common, which I genuinely admire and strive to emulate. I’ve worked for a couple c-suite executives and senior level colleagues who took time out of their extremely busy schedules to coach me and help me improve my skills. This genuine interest in my professional development was inspiring and motivating, as simple as it was, but so important. I hope to inspire someone else in the same way some day. We are excited to announce that The Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act (PMIAA) was passed 30 November by the U.S. Senate. We are excited to announce that The Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act (PMIAA) was passed 30 November by the U.S. Senate. read the official press release here Serve as a role model during the Junior Achievement semi-annual Career Exploration Fair, and join professionals from around the area who will be sharing their Project Management Career experiences with our local youth. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED PMIEF / JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT VOLUNTEER 2016 – 2017 JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT CAREER FAIR Serve as a role model during the Junior Achievement semi-annual Career Exploration Fair, and join professionals from around the area who will be sharing their Project Management Career experiences with our local youth. Inspire the youth of our community by sharing your Project Management Career journey, a typical workday, education requirements and more. This is an opportunity for students to speak with someone whose career choice interest them and to explore areas they may not have considered before. WHEN: WHERE: September 29 and 30, 2016 February 9 and 10, 2017 Moolah Shrine 12545 Fee Fee Road St. Louis, MO 63146 You will also receive PDUs towards maintaining your PMP certification. PMI Project Management Career Materials will be provided to Volunteers. Please reply to this email, if you are interested in volunteering: Terrance Bullock, PMP STLPMI PMIEF Liaison pmief@pmimsl.org terrance.bullock@att.net 314 – 225 – 4156 Links to STLPMI PMIEF Volunteer Position Openings: PMI Education Foundation Program Instructor – VRMS #7713 PMI Education Foundation Junior Achievement Volunteer – VRMS #7715 On 09 October 2015, PMIMSL was the recipient of the 2015 PMI Chapter Award for Collaboration & Outreach in Category III. This award is given in recognition of your chapter’s strong partnership with other organizations and the chapter’s academic, corporate and government outreach. On 09 October 2015, PMIMSL was the recipient of the 2015 PMI Chapter Award for Collaboration & Outreach in Category III. This award is given in recognition of your chapter’s strong partnership with other organizations and the chapter’s academic, corporate and government outreach. This is the 3rd year in a row that our chapter has been recognized with the PMI Chapter Award. Congratulations and thanks to all of our volunteers, members, and board officers. “The recipients of this year’s awards demonstrate the achievements and talents of the companies and individuals that embody project management excellence,” said Mark A. Langley, president and CEO of PMI. New Year is already here, and along with the New Year we’ll have new topics for the dinner meetings, top notch speakers for ½ day and full day workshops, boot camps for PMP and ACP exam prep, new matches for mentoring program, and many other activities for you! This year, focus will be to quality speakers from out of town, increase the attendance for our dinner meetings, and seek feedback from our members to improve the quality of our offerings. Wishing you and your family a happy and prosperous new year!!! New Year is already here, and along with the New Year we’ll have new topics for the dinner meetings, top notch speakers for ½ day and full day workshops, boot camps for PMP and ACP exam prep, new matches for mentoring program, and many other activities for you! This year, focus will be to quality speakers from out of town, increase the attendance for our dinner meetings, and seek feedback from our members to improve the quality of our offerings. This is YOUR chapter!!! We want to offer services which are of your interests. New board for year 2015 is already working towards these goals. They had a 4 hour budget planning session on December 06, 2014. A board orientation session was also held on December 9th for new board officers. Entire board is meeting all day on January 31st to work on strategic planning goals for 2015 & 2016. I would take this opportunity to thank Anne Haltenhof, outgoing president, and 2014 board officers for their service and dedication to make local St. Louis PMI chapter one of the best chapters in North America. We have achieved so much under Anne’s leadership. In 2013 under Anne's guidance, Metro St. Louis PMI chapter was awarded with “Chapter of the Year” from PMI. STL PMI was the only chapter in North America to receive this kind of recognition. Past year, our chapter had received “Member Services” award from PMI for providing outstanding membership and professional development opportunities to its members. If you have ideas for dinner meeting topics, speakers or any other topic --- I’d love to hear them. This year, we are specifically looking to offer topics based on soft and hard skills, Agile Project Management, Big Data, Servant Leadership, and Social Media etc. The goal is that you would really find these topics useful to increase your skills in a worthwhile fashion. What would help YOU be a better project management professional or get to the next level? Shoot me an email at president@pmimsl.org with your ideas! Finally, I must say that as a 100% volunteer-run organization, the Metro St. Louis PMI Chapter relies on volunteers, who dedicate their time to help advancing the profession through the various opportunities available. Please login to VRMS (http://vrms.pmi.org/) or contact any of the board officers to find out these opportunities. These are opportunities which will help you to learn and grow in leadership, teamwork, networking, and business skills. I hope we'll have the pleasure to count you as a volunteer We are here to provide services which matters most to YOU!!! I hope everyone is enjoying this St. Louis winter weather! Personally, I’m ready for spring. The Metro St. Louis Board of Directors (Vice Presidents and Directors) met on Saturday, January 25 to review our 2013 accomplishments and discuss the plans for 2014 using the Strategic Plan for 2013 – 2015. We also were asked by our consultant, Jane Klieve, to use building blocks to illustrate what we think our chapter will look like in the future. The beginning of the structure depicts the leadership and the back two parts of the structure are the volunteers and the membership. This structure is on wheels to show that we are moving forward. And by the way, it really did move. The participants decided to use all of their resources (blocks) available to them (as good PMs should). They also mixed up the colors of the structure to depict the diversity of the chapter. Notice how tall the structure is; that shows our growth over the next few years. They had fun putting this together and it served as a great team building exercise. I hope everyone is enjoying this St. Louis winter weather! Personally, I’m ready for spring. I hope everyone is enjoying this St. Louis winter weather! Personally, I’m ready for spring. The Metro St. Louis Board of Directors (Vice Presidents and Directors) met on Saturday, January 25 to review our 2013 accomplishments and discuss the plans for 2014 using the Strategic Plan for 2013 – 2015. We also were asked by our consultant, Jane Klieve, to use building blocks to illustrate what we think our chapter will look like in the future. The beginning of the structure depicts the leadership and the back two parts of the structure are the volunteers and the membership. This structure is on wheels to show that we are moving forward. And by the way, it really did move. The participants decided to use all of their resources (blocks) available to them (as good PMs should). They also mixed up the colors of the structure to depict the diversity of the chapter. Notice how tall the structure is; that shows our growth over the next few years. They had fun putting this together and it served as a great team building exercise. The board is working on the 2013 Annual Report. It will be available at the February 19 dinner meeting. If you are unable to make the February dinner meeting, stop by the Membership Table in March or April and pick one up. I think you will find it very informative! We will celebrate our 20th anniversary as a chapter this year. Watch our web site (pmistl.mg2project.com) for some upcoming events. The PMI Metro St. Louis Chapter has funded a scholarship through the PMI Educational Foundation. See the chapter web site page or the PMI Educational Foundation Scholarship page (http://www.pmi.org/pmief/scholarship/) for more information. Scholarship applications are taken through the Educational Foundation web site. Are you thinking about volunteering, but don’t know how to find out what is available with the Metro St. Louis Chapter? Check PMI’s VRMS for openings, descriptions, and timeframes. You can also ask chapter volunteers about their experiences and what is available on their team. The PMI Metro St. Louis Chapter Scholarship is now available through the PMI Educational Foundation for students studying project management. See the chapter web site page (http://pmimsl.org/content.php?page=Scholarship) or the PMI Educational Foundation Scholarship page (http://www.pmi.org/pmief/scholarship/) for more information. Scholarship applications are taken through the Educational Foundation web site. FROM YOUR PRESIDENT: The PMI Metro St. Louis Chapter Scholarship is now available through the PMI Educational Foundation for students studying project management. See the chapter web site page here or the PMI Educational Foundation Scholarship page (http://www.pmi.org/pmief/scholarship/) for more information. Scholarship applications are taken through the Educational Foundation web site. The chapter’s next ACP Prep Class will be held October 4-5. Contact Vish Tripathi at profdev@pmimsl.org if you are interested in attending. The chapter’s next PMP Prep Class will start September 7. Watch for more information in the weekly digests. Anne Haltenhof, PMP PMI Metro St. Louis Chapter President, 2013-2014 President@pmimsl.org PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE I hope everyone had a great summer! We opened the new season of chapter dinner meetings on Wednesday, September 18 with Dr. Tom Browdy’s presentation “Avoiding the Four Worst Decisions You Can Make on a Project.” The topic was very interesting and Dr. Browdy kept it interactive and lively. We are off to a great start with 106 attendees. Are you thinking about volunteering, but don’t know how to find out what is available with the Metro St. Louis Chapter? Check PMI’s VRMS for openings, descriptions, and timeframes. You can also ask chapter volunteers about their experiences and what is available on their team. Here’s a short-term opportunity -- The chapter will again this year be creating an Annual Report. We are in need of a volunteer project manager to lead this short-term effort. The position is listed in PMI’s VRMS – link for the position description is 2013 Annual Report Project Manager- Posting 1897or you can contact me with questions at president@pmimsl.org. Don’t’ forgetthat you earn 1 PDU for each hour you volunteer (up to 45 per cycle). The PMI Metro St. Louis Chapter has funded a scholarship through the PMI Educational Foundation. See the chapter web site page here or the PMI Educational Foundation Scholarship page (http://www.pmi.org/pmief/scholarship/) for more information. Scholarship applications are taken through the Educational Foundation web site. The chapter’s next ACP Prep Class will be held October 18-19. Contact Vish Tripathi at profdev@pmimsl.org if you are interested in attending. Anne Haltenhof, PMP President@pmimsl.org Web site -> www.pmimsl.mg2project.com PMI Metro St. Louis Chapter President 2013 & 2014 You have studied the PMBOK® Guide and numerous additional materials; you believe you have a solid understanding of project management theories and the application of those theories; and you have taken the steps to schedule your PMP Exam, there is just one lingering question…how can you make sure you are able to identify the best answers when it comes time to take the PMP Exam?You have studied the PMBOK® Guide and numerous additional materials; you believe you have a solid understanding of project management theories and the application of those theories; and you have taken the steps to schedule your PMP Exam, there is just one lingering question…how can you make sure you are able to identify the best answers when it comes time to take the PMP Exam? The PMP Exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions that need to be answered in four hours. For each question you are provided a scenario along with four answers to choose from. Your job is to choose the correct answer, which can be difficult when more than one answer may look correct. One thing to remember that no matter your personal experiences or even other project management training, the PMBOK® Guide is the basis for answering PMP Exam Questions. There are several strategies you can use to help yourself determine the best answer when taking the PMP® Exam: After you read the scenario, come up with the answer in your head before taking a look at the answers supplied by the exam. You may already know the answer without taking a look at the four answers provided. There is no need to allow the answers provided to confuse you if you know the answer. Read all of the answers provided before choosing one. There is no way of knowing if you have made the best choice if you do not read all of the answers. Answers questions that you know and return to those you have not answered later. Return to the more difficult or complex questions after taking care of the questions you know. This allows you to obtain the easy points and spend the remaining time on the questions you skipped. Eliminate any answers you know are not correct. There are going to be times when you are going to be able to completely eliminate an answer or two which will make answering the question a lot easier. Question answers that contain absolutes such as always, all, every, never, none, and only. These answers may look good, but remember absolutes are a dangerous area since there can be exceptions to them. Make sure you consider the restrictive nature of an answer that contains an absolute. Doubt answers that are not familiar to you. If any of the answers provided do not seem familiar to you or don’t seem to fit in with the PMBOK® Guide language or terminology, there is a good chance this is not the answer to the question. When two answers seem correct, compare their differences. In the case of two answers that seem to both be correct, compare the differences to determine which one is the best answer. There will be differences even if they are slight. Select the answer most logical to you, based on the PMBOK® Guide. Based on your knowledge of the PMBOK® Guide select the option that seems to be most logical to you. Answer each question even if you just guess. There is no penalty for guessing on the PMP Test. Make sure you select an answer for all 200 questions on the exam even if you guess…you have a 25% chance of getting it correct. For computational questions you are familiar with do the work and then refer to the answers provided. If you are familiar with the required calculation to find the correct answer, work the problem before looking at the available answers. For computational questions you are not familiar with work the problem backwards. Four possible answers are provided that you can use to work the problem backwards to determine which the correct answer is. Check your answers; only change an answer for a really good reason. Your first answer is generally your best so only make changes if you are sure or if clues within the text cue you another answer. Remember, PMP Questions are based on the PMBOK® Guide and it is your job to find the “best” answer to the scenario provided while taking the PMP® Exam. It is entirely possible that the correct answer may not seem to be evident even using the strategies listed above. Even if there are a couple of questions that seem unanswerable, make sure you at least guess…you have a 25% chance of answering correctly when guessing, where if left unanswered you have a 100% chance of getting it incorrect. The best method for learning how to put the strategies above to use is practice, practice, practice. Using a PMP Exam Simulator will provide you with that kind of experience. The PMP Exam Simulator at www.pm-exam-simulator.com closely replicates the actual PMP® Exam environment, is based on the current PMBOK® Guide, contains hundreds of sample questions, and provides detailed explanations for all answers. When you are ready to put these test taking strategies to practice and prepare for your opportunity to take the PMP® Exam go to www.pm-exam-simulator.com for free three day trial of a PMP Exam Simulator. About the author: Cornelius Fichtner, PMP is a noted PMP expert. He has helped over 18,000 students prepare for the PMP Exam with The Project Management PrepCast at http://www.pm-prepcast.com and he guides PMI credential holders on earning PDUs with The PDU Insider at http://www.pdu-insider.com ### 847 words Summary: Beyond studying the PMBOK® Guide, how can you make sure you are able to identify the best answer while taking the PMP® Exam? Reviewing and learning strategies to help you identify the best answer along with the utilization of a PMP® Exam Simulator to practice those strategies will increase you odds of identifying the correct answers to the PMP® Exam Questions.