Project Management Community
February 2006
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- Project Management's First Seminar At Sea Deemed Very Successful
- Global PM Forum Reports Now Available
Project Management's First Seminar At Sea Deemed Very Successful
What do Mayan ruins, a hairy chest competition, and project management have in common? They were all elements of the very successful Seminar at Sea aboard the Carnival Cruise Lines Elation last weekend. The unique event was sponsored by the PMI Clear Lake Galveston Chapter. The Elation departed Galveston, Texas, USA, Thursday afternoon and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to Calica, Mexico, where the seminar participants spent a day snorkeling, shopping, exploring Mayan ruins, or simply sipping margaritas. The ship returned to Galveston Monday morning.
The impressive line-up of popular speakers would have attracted a crowd even at a traditional onshore event. Ben Voivedich, President of PMCC, Inc. confronted the assertion: "We don't need no stinking project management" and shared a top ten list for change order negotiations. Bill Stewart, President and CEO of PMLG, Inc. shared the secrets of a successful PMO, and PMO To Go's Walter Viali described the project management principles General George Custer did not apply at Little Big Horn. Other speakers included Frank Saladis, President of Project Imaginers Inc.; David Dean, Senior Consultant with Application Solutions Group; David Brandon, Texas Department of State Health Services: and pmforum.org Managing Editor Hugh Woodward.
The participants obviously considered the Seminar at Sea a huge success, urging the Chapter to plan another one. Chapter President AJ Collier said: "We are very pleased with the Seminar at Sea. The cruise was great and the speakers were excellent. Everybody is ready to sail again. We are planning to make it an annual event." And the hairy chest competition? This competition conducted aboard the Elations generated wide-spread interest and when the results were announced, the runner up was one of the Seminar at Sea speakers. pmforum.org is still seeking permission to publish the pictures