President's Corner

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Novermber 2023

I am honored and a bit overwhelmed to have been chosen to lead PMI-DVC as the president.  I feel that I have inherited a large responsibility to lead an outstanding organization move forward during a time of great change in our profession.  These changes are going to touch all of us and PMI-DVC exists to help project mangers like you thrive on these waves of change.

In the coming year PMI-DVC is going to provide more opportunities and more different ways for the chapter to engage with you and for you to engage with the chapter in ways that help you grow your career.  We have just launched the AI Interest Group that has monthly events planned from now through June of 2024.  These events are specifically addressing the three ways our profession is being impacted by the rapid proliferation of AI.  First our tools are becoming AI enhanced, second, we are or will be managing projects that implement AI solutions to business problems, and a few of us will manage projects that develop new AI tools. 

The Agile Community of Practice is bringing back the Thursdays noon Agile Kaffeeklatsch and will resume frequent speaker events early in the new year.  Expect to hear more about Agile as plans are developed.  We also have a speaker lined who will focus on communications and soft skills for project managers and another to provide insights into life as a project management consultant or contractor.  Watch this newsletter and your emails for more details.

PMI-DVC is entirely volunteer run.  That means we need people like you to step up and join an amazing team to help bring the value of being a member to all our members.  Between now and January there will be a lot of new postings on PMI’s VEP (Volunteer Engagement Platform) https://www.pmi.org/membership/volunteer for a wide variety of roles.  Among other things we will be starting up several more Interest Groups beyond the AI and Agile ones that already exist.  They will need leaders, doers, and speakers.  Some of our members who have presented at these meeting have been asked to present to other chapters an at national events.  These are the kind of things that differentiate you when the time comes to update your resume and find a new position and for sure that time will come.  Whatever it is that you like to do, we probably have or are willing to create a role that matches.  Two thirds of our members have PMP certifications and need to collect PDUs to renew it.  Volunteering for the chapter is a lot more fun than watching a video of someone drone on about running a scrum meeting or building a risk register for an hour to get a PDU. 

As the president of the chapter, I am here to serve you.  I cannot solve all your problems but if it is PMI related, I can probably connect you with someone who can help.  If you need to reach me, send an email kgolkin@pmi-dvc.org.

I cannot end without thanking our outgoing president Robert Cochran who led the chapter through the pandemic and a rebuilding phase that is still in progress.  Marie Hagerty who has been on the Board of Directors and VP of Membership and Volunteer for 6 years and is our guiding light in DEI, social good outreach and so many other areas has reached her term limit and is stepping back from her leadership role, but will continue to work on the Membership and Volunteer team.

 

Sincerely,

Ken Golkin

President, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter

MAY 2023

New year. Inperson Event & the Value of CAPM.

This month I want to highlight more opportunities for our members to earn PDU’s, gain certification, volunteer and more:

In-Person Networking Event 

The Board is pleased to announce that, at long last, we will host an IN-PERSON networking event in May. Here’s the particulars:

• WHEN: Wednesday, May 17
• WHERE: Taphouse 23, 266 E 4th St, Bridgeport, PA 19405 (Main Dining Room)
• TIME: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
• OTHER: Cash bar. Attendance will be limited to 80

Come and mingle with the Board and your fellow Chapter members! We look forward to seeing you there. Check out our Events Calendar in the coming weeks for more information and to register for this event as well as other upcoming in-person and virtual events.

The CAPM Exam Changes on July 25

As integral members of our community, we want you to be the first to know that the new Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)^® certification exam will be available 25 July.

Review the FAQs to learn how this update will better support entry and associate-level professionals and utilize the new Exam Content Outline when updating your training materials.

Is the CAPM Worth it?

Forbes Advisor offers an emphatic "Yes" to this question. Go to the article >>

PMI CEO Pierre LeManh has something to say about this as well. Learn more >>

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Come back to this page every month to see more of the opportunities we have planned in 2023!

Robert C. Cochran (Bob)

President, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter

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APRIL 2023

New year. The Return of In-Person.

This month I want to highlight more opportunities for our members to earn PDU’s, gain certification, volunteer and more:

In-Person Networking Event 

The Board is pleased to announce that, at long last, we will host an IN-PERSON networking event in May. Here’s the particulars:

• WHEN: Wednesday, May 17
• WHERE: Taphouse 23, 266 E 4th St, Bridgeport, PA 19405 (Main Dining Room)
• TIME: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
• OTHER: Cash bar. Attendance will be limited to 80

Come and mingle with the Board and your fellow Chapter members! We look forward to seeing you there. Check out our Events Calendar in the coming weeks for more information and to register for this event as well as other upcoming in-person and virtual events.

CNN - Chapter News Network

PMI has launched a pilot program called CNN - Chapter News Network. The goal of the program is to have a Chapter member whose "story" aligns with PMI to promote membership, certifications, and the value of project management via local broadcast and print media outlets. PMI Delaware Valley Chapter is one of 7 Chapters chosen for this project: Leigh Ann Gunther is the chapter member chosen from our Chapter to tell her "story". Check out her recent appearance here on Fox News 29’s LocalMatters.

The Chapter Advertised in the Philadelphia Business Journal

Coincidentally, PMI's CNN pilot program dovetails nicely with our Chapter’s branding campaign currently running online and in print in the Philadelphia Business Journal. If you are a subscriber, look for our ads online and in print.

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MARCH 2023

New year. New Resources.

This month I want to highlight more opportunities for our members to earn PDU’s, gain certification, volunteer and more:

New Website Feature | PDU MARKETPLACE

Beyond our Chapter-specific professional development programming, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter offers members access to a number of additional learning resources. These resources are a tremendous value, offering free and discounted features that will sharpen your professional skill-sets and earn you PDUs towards certification renewal. In addition to Project Bites, these resources include:

• IIL Advantage Program – This is a great learning and PDU-earning platform for Chapter members that includes on-demand courses; live virtual and in-person courses, webinars, PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep (a Premier ATP program) and conferences. Course offerings range from streamlined 45-minute segments to multi-week programs. Browse by subject category (project management; agile and scrum; business analysis, etc) or mode (on-demand, live virtual, etc). Enjoy free and discounted course offerings.
• Projectmanagment.com – A FREE resource from PMI for PMI members, the site includes live and on-demand webinars; templates; articles and reports; industry forums and more. In short, everything you need to advance your project practitioner know-how and connect with others in the industry.

Study Groups

Registration is now OPEN for our CAPM and PMP Exam Prep study groups. Visit Study Groups to register (FREE to Chapter members).

Volunteers

Volunteers are the fuel that makes the Chapter go! Check out our Ways to Get Involved to find an opportunity that suits you.

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Come back to this page every month to see more of the opportunities we have planned in 2023!

Robert C. Cochran (Bob)

President, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter

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FEBRUARY 2023

New year. New Opportunities.

Your Board has planned a year full of opportunities for our members to earn PDU’s, gain certification, volunteer, and for our Board to celebrate our volunteers. Some of those include:

• Project Bites – When you log into the Chapter website, open the pull-down menu under Professional Development and select Project Bites. This is a FREE, member’s only benefit that allows our members to earn PDU’s by taking “bite” size courses. I encourage to you check it out!
• Study Groups – If you are planning on taking either the CAPM or PMP Exam Prep certifications, be sure to check out our Study Groups, which are FREE to our members.
• Volunteers – are the fuel that makes the Chapter go! Check out our Ways to Get Involved to find an opportunity that suits you.
• Volunteer of the Month and Volunteer of the Year – In recognition of the importance of our volunteers to make the Chapter run, the Board has instituted a Volunteer of the Month/Year Program. Check it out here and see the February Volunteer of the Month.

Come back to this page every month to see more of the opportunities we have planned in 2023!

We would love to know what you think about the new site: feedback, suggestions, impressions; and if you'd like to join the Website team going forward. Email me directly: rcochran@pmi-dvc.org.

Robert C. Cochran (Bob)

President, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter

 

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JANUARY 2023

New year. New website.

To my fellow project management practitioners. To our members, our tireless volunteers, and my fellow Chapter leaders. To our partners and sponsors. And to the Chapter members of tomorrow who are exploring the potential in this fellowship. Welcome.

Following a year of collaborative planning, building and trouble-shooting, we are proud to bring you our new online home. It really took a village. And we are excited about the notable new features of the site.

• New look. Modern, professional, reflective of our culture.
• A good read. Clear, engaging writing that informs, motivates…perhaps entertains.
• Curated news and features. We sort through the clutter—sites, organizations, journals, blogs and more—to bring you the latest and greatest. Distilled.
• PDUs unpacked. Everything you need to know about PDUs, sources of PDUs and certification renewal in four lean pages. Download and print it.
• Community orientation; world mindfulness. Enhanced content.
• Volunteers front and center. We are volunteer led and driven. The new site brings renewed emphasis to volunteer contributions and networking.
• Mobile friendly. Tap into everything the Chapter has to offer on your mobile phone.

Planning, writing, designing and building the new site was a team effort that spanned the course of 2022. Our many thanks to the volunteers that helped bring the new site to life.

• Leadership and direction: Kathy Lajoie Malik, Mark Turner, Allen Hughes, and Rich Lobron.
• Technologists: Jason Brown and Jerzy Dutkiewcz.
• Content contributions: Ken Golkin, Leigh Ann Gunther, Marie Hegarty, Frank McKeown, Priya Rajagopalan, Harris Snyder, Niki Weiss.
• Additional contributions: Frank Anbari, Mary Bullock, Steven Casiano, Suzanne Dreitlein, Alex Eldridge, Lisa Kauffman, Kaitlyn Luboff, Jessica McBride, Walter Rawlins, Devon Scanlan, Kelly Taylor Stoner, and Sikemi Williams.

We would love to know what you think about the new site: feedback, suggestions, impressions; and if you'd like to join the Website team going forward. Email me directly: rcochran@pmi-dvc.org.

Let's make 2023 a year to remember.

Robert C. Cochran (Bob)

President, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter

2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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Call-out to Millennials

You are the growing heartbeat of the modern workforce and an expanding presence in the Chapter. And your younger-sibling generations—Gen’s Z and Alpha—are close behind. I invite you to bring your skills and energy to bear and to help shape the future of our Chapter.

Dive into the short missive I've penned. Acknowledging your arrival. And, on behalf of the Chapter, asking for your help. 

Jawn4NextGen >>