June 2012 PMI Memphis

EDITOR

Alicia Miller

2012 Board of Directors

PRESIDENT

Chandy Littlejohn

SECRETARY

Laura Beth Matson

COMMUNICATIONS

Sidd Kunche

PUBLICATIONS

Alicia Miller

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Vaughan Dewar

MEMBERSHIP

Aimee Sufka

EDUCATION

Mike Fulton

FINANCE

Karen Stewart

PROGRAMS

Althea Thomas

SPECIAL EVENTS

Phyllis Slaughter

Chapter Mission:

* Promote the Goals and

Principles of PMI

* Support Project

Management (PMP)

certification efforts of

members

* Provide Training in

specific PMI skills and

knowledge areas

Catch back issues of the PMI Memphis Newsletter on the web at www.pmimemphis.org Click on ‘About The Chapter’ and then ‘Chapter Newsletters’.

Dear Chandy & Mike, I just wanted to share PMI’s Guangzhou PDU event with you. Since I was already coming here for an elevator show and to do training at our Engineering Center, I was asked by PMI to give a talk about TKE’s Push for PM initiative - it went over well. Iris Lv, one of our PMP’s from Shanghai, translated for me, a must especially here in southern China. It lasted about 1 ½ hours including Q&A. Thanks again for all your support and friendship. FYI… I gave PMI Memphis credit in my talk for getting us started and all the support along the way. Best Regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen, John B. Fisher, PMP ThyssenKrupp Elevator Global Project Management

Letter to the Editor

PMI Memphis Recognized in China!!

PMI Memphis Page 2 of 6

PMI China

“It’s hard to beat a

person who never gives

up.”

Babe Rutht

PMI Region 14 Meeting PMI Region 14 Meeting PMI Region 14 Meeting PMI Region 14 Meeting was a success!was a success!was a success!was a success! The Memphis PMI chapter co-sponsored our regional meeting. This meeting was in Nashville and was open to all PMI members within our southern region. We had chapters represented from as far away as Trinidad! We were able to meet other regional chapters and discuss best practices. One of the highlights was listening to Camper Bull speak on Project Management. See the article on page 3 for more about what Camper Bull has to say!

Community Corner

New! Free Podcasts on the Memphis PMI WebsiteNew! Free Podcasts on the Memphis PMI WebsiteNew! Free Podcasts on the Memphis PMI WebsiteNew! Free Podcasts on the Memphis PMI Website We had an incredible learning experience attending the Regional conference at Nashville. We will start to offer free audio podcast on our website with the help of Camper Bull. The topics would range from PM best practices to Leadership topics. Best part...is the members listening to the podcast can earn PDUs for their credit. We are very excited to start this initiative. VP of Communications

PMI Region 14 speaker Camper

Bull with PMI conference

attendees

PMI presidents from Memphis and Nashville

PMI Region 14 welcomes the

Miami PMI Chapter

PMI Memphis Page 3 of 6

Our working priorities and durations have changed. Now we work on average 4 more weeks than 20 years ago according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We also have less vacation. Americans gave back 1.6 million days to their companies. Thus, people are more challenged to keep up with their responsibilities and to engage as volunteers. Nationally, average attendance at chapter meetings is about 10-15%, which means that 85-90% of members aren’t being served by chapter’s monthly meetings. (Our annual Professional Development Day is an exception.) Our goal is to serve the mutual interests of our collective membership, which can only be accomplished with the dedicated commitment of volunteers. To facilitate this effectively, chapter leaders must be ENGAGED with our membership at every feasible level. This can be successful if we keep focused on actions that implement it, which is: To E-N-G-A-G-E we must, stay relevant, serve members, and share best practices E-very meeting should strive to provide benefits such as:

� Showing success to a volunteer, here is the result, you made a difference!

� Considering setting up an on-line discussion on a book or other topic.

� Setting up networking among people-in-transition or unemployed.

� Developing special interest groups such as logistics, IT, toastmasters, etc.

N-urture interest

� Cultivate an environment that appreciates giving

� Provide concise and valuable content to members

� Email blasts can overwhelm people (they feel overwhelmed by 50 per day) The more you advertise beyond twice

monthly, the less they will

Community CornerCommunity CornerCommunity CornerCommunity Corner Giving Back – Camper Bull speaks at the PMI Regional Event in Nashville

discussion on a book or other topic. � Setting up networking among people-in-

transition or unemployed. � Developing special interest groups such as

logistics, IT, toastmasters, etc.

N-urture interest � Cultivate an environment that appreciates

giving � Provide concise and valuable content to

members � Email blasts can overwhelm people (they

feel overwhelmed by 50 per day) The more you advertise beyond twice monthly, the less they will respond. He also suggests commissioning a company to distribute monthly postcards.

� Website must be visually appealing and tell the user what to do next. Fewer links are better. If you provide over 5-7 links, more people will leave the site.

G-o to where the members are

� Consider using You-Tube postings or others. (Our U of M educational alliance is using on-line video courses. Can we expand reaching our membership with more on-line activities?)

� Use I-phones and I-pads to enable member access anytime and anywhere.ir facility. Might you work in an organization that would be interested?

A-tomize Events

� We are not one isolated group. Reach out to other organizations. For example, a company may employ 40 project managers. If our chapter has an outstanding speaker in town for an event, we could offer to that company a chance to coat-tail on the opportunity by having them also speak at their facility. Might you work in an organization that would be interested?

G-enerate loyalty

� Produce a “State of the Chapter” document annually. Offer opportunities for members to build relationships around other areas of interest (e.g., golfing, ball-games, and charitable fundraisers).

From Vaughan Dewar, PMP, CSSBB

PMI Memphis Page 4 of 6

Chapter Membership: 478 Active Members Stats for May: 3 New Members 28 Renewing Members PMI Chapter Guest Pass Program - Update: The Chapter Guest Pass Program has officially kicked off with our first guest pass being assigned. If you know someone who would be interested in a Guest Pass for our chapter meetings, please contact Aimee Sufka at VP_Membership@pmimemphis.org.

We (Still) Need Your Feedback We are continuing to collect feedback from at our monthly meetings, from our lapsed members, and from our new members and what we are learning is that the chapter is on track to positively engage with its membership. We are encouraged by the positive

Membership News

1. Robert R. Bruce 2. Donnika Hunter 3. Scott Jennings

A Big Welcome to our New Members!

“We are continually

faced by great

opportunities brilliantly

disguised as insolvable

problems.”

-Unknown

“Whatever you are, be a

good one.”

- Abraham Lincoln

feedback and we are giving serious consideration to your recommendations for ways we can improve things for our members. If you have feedback for us, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. Email messages, phone calls, or personal discussions at the monthly meetings are always welcome. New Member Orientation Feedback concerning “New Member Orientation” has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ve heard from existing members who went through our original program several years ago and provided their thoughts on how it got them engaged. We have also heard from new members who suggested that information on signature events, standing committees, and volunteer opportunities would get them engaged more quickly. A subcommittee is forming and draft materials are in development. Stay tuned for details and a tentative target date for the event.

Community Outreach Look for more information concerning Community Outreach activities in the next newsletter!!

PMI Memphis Page 5 of 6

INCOME

Monthly Meetings $ 2,165.20

PMI Section Dues $ 5,200.00

PMP Course $18,300.00

Total Income $25,665.20

Finance Focus

Profit & Loss as of

May 29, 2012

Vaughan is currently a Business Development Analyst for 4th Source Incorporated, which helps companies plan, build, and maintain systems to optimize the return on technology investments. Previously he was the Director of Project Management at Genesis Networks, LLC. He has consulted for the military as a Senior Business Analyst and worked as Project Manager in Research & Development at Brother International Corporation for over 15 years. Vaughan also managed their Advanced Technology Research Laboratory. His career span has over 20 years experience in R&D as well as an extensive engineering and manufacturing background. To build upon his skills toward optimizing process and quality controls, he earned a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification in 2005.

Vaughan has organized numerous public events on topics including nutritional education, initiatives to the public school system and has lectured on philosophy and physics to civic groups. As an active Project Management

Institute (PMI) member for over 11 years, he has taught Risk Managementto many classes studying for the PMP exam. He has also provided

numerous educational presentations for PMI Memphis Chapter events.

June Dinner Event

Topic - Influence and Influence and Influence and Influence and

LoyaltyLoyaltyLoyaltyLoyalty

Speaker – Vaughan Dewar

“Reflect upon your

present blessings, of

which every man has

plenty, not on your past

misfortunes of which all

men have some.”

- Charles Dickens

EXPENSES

Base $ 3,204.07

Storage Space $ 200.00

Postage $ 70.00

Printing $ 3,515.99

Event $ 4,341.30

Web Site $ 3,131.91

License & Permits $ 42.25

Awards $ 34.84

Conf. Registration $ 1,440.00

Travel $ 1,024.03

Board of Directors $ 500.31

Misc. $ 46.95

Total Expenses $ 17,551.65

Net Operating Income $ 8,113.60

In February 2010 Vaughan Dewar, PMP, CSSBB, was

appointed by the PMI Memphis chapter board to the position of VP Public Relations. He has enthusiastically served in that capacity since then. Prior to that, in 2008 the board awarded him “Advocate of the Year” for passion in the pursuit of project management excellence.

Mon. Tues. Wed. Thursday Friday

1

4 5 Chapter Meeting PMP Prep Class Begins

6 7 8

11 12 13 14 15 18 19

BOD Meeting

20 21 22

25 26 27 28 29

June 2012 – Calendar of Events

Job Postings

PMI Memphis

P.O. Box 383283 Germantown, TN 38183-3283 E-Mail: VP_Publications@pmimemphis.org

We’re on the Web! See us at: www.pmimemphis.org D E A D L I N E For May PMI Chapter articles is Monday, June 11 Send submissions to VP_Publications@pmimemphis.org

PMI Memphis P.O. Box 383283 Germantown, TN 38183

PMI Member

- Healthcare Project Leader for Accredo Health Inc. - Project Manager for Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell and

Berkowitz - Project Manager for the Haley Consulting Group, LLC - Project Manager 6 month contract with Gateway Group Personnel For More information, or to apply, about these positions, please visit our website at www.pmimemphis.org/jobs.

Volunteer Job Postings

- VP of Publications is looking for 2 talented writers and 2 photographers. She is also seeking ideas to make our publications more dynamic, robust and informative. For more information, please email vp_publications@pmimemphis.org.

- VP of membership is looking for a mentor to walk her through some basic Project Management information with a mentee. She is not PMP certified but is very interested in transitioning into a project management-related position and would like guidance on how best to present herself to prospective employers. If you are willing to be a mentor for this particular mentee’s needs, please contact Aimee Sufka at VP_Membership@pmimemphis.org.