Dear Members,

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner! That probably means that the projects at work are getting a bit more stressful as team members vie for vacation time. Then there’s that “honey do” list. The upside is that the kids (or grandkids) will soon be off for the summer, and, if you’re lucky, that means you’ll soon have some enlistees for those home projects.

Well, as project managers we do turn dreams into reality – and spring is a good time to plan some fun time together!

Dan Hill is our Program Manager for Paint-A-Thon, busy scoping our next project home. The program helps low-income seniors and people with permanent physical disabilities live independently in their own homes longer. Each summer teams of volunteers, coordinated by the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, includes a team or two from PMI-MN. Volunteers prep and paint home exteriors for those who are not able to do the maintenance themselves. We provide the talent and materials at no cost to the homeowner, restoring the homes we paint, and the homeowner’s sense of pride in their property and community. If you like working in the outdoors, painting, volunteering for social good, a free t-shirt (or all of the above), consider joining our PMI-MN Paint-A-Thon team – send us your contact info.

Last year we went on a Mississippi River Cruise. This year our Volunteer Services team has a couple of adventure events planned! It’s a chance for members to meet volunteers and have some fun! On August 18th we have a Saints Baseball Get-Together – details and registration are already on the web. August 4th we have a Minnehaha Picnic and Pot Luck, with biking, games and food in a family setting at the park named for Laughing Waters.
Our volunteer leadership were busy last month with PMI regional events. In Omaha NE the “Heartland” chapter hosted the Region 2 strategic and leadership event. Our chapter is one of the 21 chapters included in the "North Central North American Region," designated as Region 2 that includes IN, IL, IA, MN, NE, ND, SD, WI, and two provinces of Canada (Saskatchewan and Manitoba). Volunteer leaders participate in conferences with their peers from other chapters in the region, learning skills, techniques, and brainstorming ideas to manage and grow the chapter and bring more value to you, our membership.

Volunteer leadership from our chapter also ventured to Rome, Italy for the Europe – Middle East – Africa (EMEA) conference. Like the R2 session, it is a great way to learn and share. In addition, these “Leadership Institute Meeting” environments include power speakers and presenters from around the world, showcasing new concepts and solutions. The aim is the same as R2 though, to increase our value as an organization to our most important customer – you!

As you know, PMI has been promoting the concept of the Talent Triangle for our members and profession. It came with the realization that project management goes beyond the technical skills of the PMBOK, to include the skills and acumen of leadership and vision. Art and science in balance.

The changes appear to be paying off. PMI is 50 years old and still growing. We just got word that we now have 300 chapters world-wide, up from 280 last year, with membership up by over 10,000 to 470,000 this year. Our Chapter, founded in 1984, continues to grow as well; Year-to-Year membership was up by over 8%. PMI-MN’s Professional Development Days (PDD, Sep 25-28 this year) is well known and a premier event in the region. You belong to an organization that works hard to be relevant to your future, valuable as a resource and fun to be a part of. Find more on our web and LinkedIn!

Chris Doyle

President & CEO, PMI-MN

PMI-Minnesota: Powered by you

We have great plans to offer more services to you, our members, in the coming year.  These services are made possible by our volunteers and we have many openings.  By volunteering you can earn PDUs, earn credits toward meeting attendance fees, learn new skills,  network with the best project managers in the area, and have fun with your peers.  Please join us in making our chapter great: just a few hours a month can make a big difference!

• Volunteer Coordinator
• Education Program Project Coordinator
• Webinar Moderator
• Sponsorship and Partners-Chair
• Sponsor Coordinator
• Social Media Specialist
• Communications - Content Developer
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Coordinator
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Support
• Volunteer Training and Support (IT)
• Manage Ticketing System (IT)
• Coordinate Speaker Database (IT)
• Graphic Designer
• Brand Manager
• Website Designer
• Market Researcher 
• Public Relations Manager 
• Tradeshow Manager 
• Member Experience Manager
• Professional Development Webinar Moderator
• Chair - Programs
• Web Stream Production – Dinner Meetings
• Web Stream Production - Breakfast Meetings
• Web Stream Production - Breakfast Meetings backup
• Chair Programs
• Professional Development Certifications Manager
• Webinar Program Manager

Scholarships available to help your career development

Ana Alvarez Holmberg Scholarship – Applications due by May 31

This $2,000 scholarship is jointly offered by PMI-MN and The American Society of Training and Development  - Greater Twin Cities (ATD-GTC).  This award can be used for either general personal development (e.g., obtaining or maintaining certifications) or formal academic training by a current member of one of the sponsoring organizations.  Successful candidates will be committed to community service, committed to personal advancement and continuous learning, and exhibit high personal standards and passion for life.

Mark Your Calendar: Key Professional Development Events

Supercharge your personal and professional development with our convenient educational events:

Webinars: Monthly (Consult the PMI-MN.org Event Calendar)

PMP Prep Certification Class (starting dates):

Summer : 07/11/2017 REGISTER HERE
Fall: 09/25/2017 (During PDD [Professional Development Days])

Professional Development Days (PDD)

Why attend PDD? What is PMI-MN offering?

Why attend PDD?  PMI-MN's mission is to provide value to our members and our community through opportunities for career development and to advocate the advancement of the project management profession and its disciplines. Each year we pull together our Chapter’s resources and expertise to execute our largest project of the year:  Professional Development Days, our four-day annual conference. The goal is to give professionals in project management, inundated with digital communication and daily project interactions, a breather from your practice and a chance to learn how to improve it. 

And it’s time you share your experiences, IN PERSON, with others who understand the challenges and rewards of working with teams on project work.

This year, PMI-MN PDD is offering one-day, two-day and half-day classes in topics such as
·         Connecting with stakeholders
·         Shaping your reputation through feedback
·         Leading in an age of permanent whitewater
·         Accountable leadership
·         Agile product ownership

Our Symposium Day on September 28 is a buffet of 28 sessions of varied topics on Leadership, Strategy, Technical Skills, Change, Applied PM, Agile, and Team Building. It’s your chance to pick what works best for your schedule, and to find out what’s going on.

Registration opens June 1.

Join us in person or virtually; whatever works for you

We know that it can be hard to join us in person for our breakfast and dinner meetings.  Did you know that you can participate in thsee great sessions virtually?  All of our breakfast and dinner presentations are webcast so that you can participate from the comfort of your home, office, hotel room, or wherever you are.  To see the simulcast (or be able to watch it later at a more convenient time), just visit the event registration page and choose the LIVE Webstream option.

We also offer monthly webinars.  If you are not able to participate live, you can find the presentation decks and recordings of them at https://www.pmi-mn.org/content/pmi-mn-chapter-webinars.

And, if you are not in the Twin Cities, we also offer several monthly Outreach events in venues around the region (https://www.pmi-mn.org/content/outreach-communities).

Accelerating Concurrent Innovation

June 1st and 2nd | 3M Innovation Center, St Paul MN | PMI-MN members save $100 with “partner” registration

The 16th Annual SCPD conference is fast approaching and, you’ll want to be in on the game-changing discussions that will occur. This dynamic 1.5 day Conference at the 3M Innovation Center features speakers from leading companies including US Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medtronic, and 3M. They will describe the Benefits of Concurrent Innovation (Concurrency) and Best Practices for strategically positioning innovation. The conference offers a unique opportunity for networking with like-minded professionals from many companies in the Twin Cities. By being there, you’ll connect with top industry executives who are solving the same problems you face. You’ll also gain inspiration from an all-star lineup of speakers. Register Here

9th Annual Career Fair Recap

The 2017 PMI-MN Career Fair Planning Committee would like to thank the following sponsors:

They made this all a successful event. The Chapter welcomed over 130 attendees, 4 Speakers (Polly Meyer, Diane Windingland, Mark Swanson & Jeff Coltman) who each presented to over 20 attendees.  The committee consisted of 25 volunteers who committed over 75 hours of volunteering, thank you to each of them.   Lisa Peterson with Red Thread Images took over 75 professional photos for members of our Chapter, and everyone was thrilled with her engaging enthusiasm, and Lisa did a fabulous job capturing each person’s unique personality.

Thank you to all who completed the survey, here are some of the comments: from 1 of our Sponsors, ‘Great Flow & Energy’; from an attendee, ‘Nice Layout and Loved Lisa’.  Next year, the committee will strive to add corporate booths, and incentives to encourage attendees to stop and visit with all sponsors

Congratulations to Members Awarded Certifications!