PM Community News - December 2006



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Eric Jenett, PMI Founder, Becomes Global Advisor to PMForum.org


Mr. Eric Jenett. Founder, Fellow and former President and Chair of the Project Management Institute (PMI®), has agreed to become a global advisor for PMForum.org. Mr. Jenett, who is also a former corporate vice president of Brown & Root, is retired and lives in Houston, Texas, USA.

Mr. Jenett was an early member of what is now AACEi, having attended its formation meeting in 1956. Until his retirement he was a registered Professional Engineer in Texas. From college days to the present he has been a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChe). In the project management field, driven by his belief that there was a valid and unaddressed need for an organization treating project management, Eric was one of the four individuals originally "noodling on?h what became the Project Management Institute (PMI®).

He was among the handful of people (including current PMForum advisor Russ Archibald) who organized the first PMI seminar in 1969 and then announced the official formation of PMI. Eric is PMI Member #3, PMP #1 (ret), and one of the first group designated as a PMI Fellow. He was founding sponsor of a PM discussion group in Houston that became the first Chapter chartered by PMI. He served PMI as Secretary, President and Chair of the Board of Directors, and also filled those functions for the Houston PMI chapter. He has been active in PMI ever since its founding and is one of the most widely recognized and widely respected leaders in the World of Project Management.

Shortly after graduating from Columbia University with an M.S. in Chemical Engineering (preceded by service in the U.S. Army Air Corps), Eric joined what was then known as Brown & Root (B&R) as a Process Engineer. B&R in that time frame was consistently one of the top 5 American companies in the project design, engineering, management and construction business covering most of the fields for such products and services. He remained an employee of B&R (then becoming Brown & Root-Kellogg and currently known as KBR) until his retirement in 1989. Thus he was totally immersed in a "project environment" for over 35 years. This was also the period in which project management came into its own as a discipline and (arguably) as a profession.

Starting as a Process Engineer, his assigned responsibilities with B&R led to successive designations as Chief Process Engineer, Corporate Vice President (VP), Co-VP of Engineering, VP and Project Manager, VP and Program Director, VP and Technical-Advisor-on-Loan for PM and discipline use and proficiency in PM. In all these assignments, the execution of projects from the "light bulb" stage to completion, and their successful and profitable management, was the mandate of his assignments.

In terms of geography and culture, Eric has worked in a number of countries, for client forms from joint venture partnerships to single owner/operators. In most of these assignments, the work started with the "fleshing out" of the scope and the development of "specifications" for the "product" of the project. An attribute of Mr. Jenett's work in project management and of which he is quite proud is the fact that every project he started he also finished to completion; i.e. to preparation of final report(s), storage of project records and the useful, but seldom assembled, "lessons learned". Upon retirement from then (Brown & Root-Kellogg), he served as a consultant-project manager for another major engineering firm on a project for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), evaluating conditions and needed changes in refineries in several Eastern European (formerly USSR) countries.

Eric has published more than 20 papers and articles on aspects of project management and has initiated, presented or participated in many seminars on PM and aspects of PM both in-house and for other organizations. He was among the early users of the computer as an assist/tool in Mauchly and Associates CPM and RPSM packages run on the old IBM 1620 (using only card input and output), MacAuto's PMIS run on the IBM 1401, and early versions of programs by IBM, Welcome and Primavera. According to Eric, "the above is said only to emphasize the time span and extent of my practice in the PM field. 't?fs c'verd a little time."

In over 55 years in project environments Eric has remained passionate about the subject of PM and insistent that a forum for meeting together of practitioners, associated functions, customers of PM, vendors/suppliers to PM, and just interested parties is feasible and beneficial to all of the above.

Eric can be reached at EJenett@compuserve.com.


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Dr. Chima Okereke Joins PMF Correspondents Network in Nigeria


Dr. Chima Okereke, Ph.D. MBA, has joined PMForum.org as an International Correspondent in Nigeria. Dr. Okereke is Managing Director of Total Technology Consultants, Ltd., based in the UK and Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He was previously a chief engineer for Delta Steel Company in Aladja, Nigeria; a project engineer/ technical writer for Shell Petroleum Development Company in Warri, Nigeria; Section Head for Instrumentation & Control for the National Electric Power Authority in Lagos, Nigeria; and Electrical Engineer for the Ministry of Works & Housing, Nigerian National Government. Chima is also now the sponsor and president of a potential chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI(R)) in Port Harcourt.

Chima Okereke is a manager with over 25 years experience in industrial operations and project management. He has managed various projects in such industries as power generation, oil and gas, and steel in the public and private sectors, rising up to the position of chief engineer and head of department. He has also worked on projects with multinational companies such as ABB, GHH, and Siemens. As a UK based consultant, he has conducted business research and analysis projects for US and UK companies.

He is currently working as a director for Total Technology Consultants Limited, a project management consulting company that is the Primavera Authorized Representatives (PAR) in Nigeria. The company also represents PertMaster Analytics. In this position, Chima has been directing the implementation of software packages and the training of clients?f staff on software solutions for multi-projects planning, monitoring and control. His customers include Shell Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria Limited, TotalFinaElf, Addax Nigeria Oil Company Limited, Nigerian Engineering and Technological Company Limited (NETCO), and other local government and private companies.

Chima has very strong operations and project management grounding. His skills have been honed by years of hands-on experience in industry with appropriate doses of formal management studies (for the MBA degree) in the University of Bradford Management Centre, a top European business school; and courses with Primavera Systems inc., a world-class project management vendor.

Dr. Okereke received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Lagos in 1975. In 1993, Chima completed his doctoral research in the University of Bradford in the UK in industrial automation in the fields of robotics and computer vision. He also received a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Bradford in 1995. He has been registered with the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) since 1983.

Port Harcourt is the capital of Rivers state and a major port town in southern Nigeria. It lies along the Bonny River (an eastern tributary of the Niger), 41 miles (66 km) upstream from the Gulf of Guinea. Founded in 1912 in an area traditionally inhabited by the Ijaw people, Port Harcourt has long been an important merchant port and is the centre of Nigeria?'s oil industry. Its exports include petroleum, coal, tin, palm products, cocoa, and groundnuts.

With a population of 3.5 million, Port Harcourt is also one of Nigeria's major industrial centers. Among the industries of the area are timber processing, car manufacturing, food and tobacco processing, and the manufacture of rubber, glass, metal, and paper products, cement, petroleum products, paint, enamelware, bicycles, furniture, and soap.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and the 7th largest in the world, with 171 million residents. It has large reserves of minerals, oil & gas, and is a developing economy. Nigeria is a democratic republic modelled after the USA, with a President, Senate and House of Representatives. The current President of Nigeria is Olusegan Obasanjo who was elected in 1999 following the restoration of democracy after two decades of military dictatorships. The capital of Nigeria is Abuja, in the center of the country.


Nigeria is a leading petroleum producer and exporter. It is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and the 8th largest exporter. Nigeria also has one of the world's largest proven natural gas and petroleum reserves and is a founding member of OPEC. Mineral resources that are present in Nigeria but not yet fully exploited are coal and tin.

Other natural resources in the country include iron ore, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, and arable land. About 60% of Nigerians are still employed in the agricultural sector. Agricultural products include groundnuts, palm oil, cocoa, coconut, citrus fruits, maize, millet, cassava, yams and sugar cane. It also has a booming leather and textile industry. As of April 2006, Nigeria became the first African Country to fully pay o ff her debt (estimated $30billion) owed to the Paris Club.

The currency unit of Nigeria is the Nigerian Naira. Nigeria also has significant production and manufacturing facilities such as factories for Peugeot the French car marker, Bedford the English truck manufacturer, now a subsidiary of General Motors, and also manufactures t-shirts and processed food. More information about Port Harcourt and Nigeria can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria.

Although he is frequently in the UK where he also has an office, Chima has his main office with consultants and staff in Port Harcourt and can be contacted at OkerekeOC@gmail.com.

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Vladimir Voropajev, Russian PM Association Founder Joins PMF Global Advisory Panel


Professor Vladimir Voropajev, Ph.D. Founder, Fellow and current President of the Russian Project Management Association SOVNET has agreed to become a global advisor for PMForum.org. Dr. Voropajev is professor of Project Management at the State University of Management, Moscow, Russia.

Professor Voropajev is a full member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences on Information Science and Cybernetics, and of the International Academy of Investments and Economy in Construction. In 1995, he was elected Vice-president of the Innovation Union of the Russian Federation. He is also Head of the Program and Project Management Faculty for the Russian State Academy?fs Program for Professional Retraining and Professional Skill Development for Executives and Specialists in Investment Fields.

From 1991 to 2001, he was Vice-president and a member of the Executive Board of the International Project Management Association (IPMA), the global federation of national PM associations based in Zurich, Switzerland. He is the First assessor for several IPMA certification bodies. In 2005 he was awarded IPMA Honorary Fellowship Award. He is an honorary Fellow of the Indian Project Management Association and a past member of the Global Project Management Forum Steering Committee.

During his 40 years of engineering, scientific, teaching and consulting activities, Vladimir has published over 250 scientific research works including 7 monographs and 5 textbooks about the organization, planning and management of construction, engineering and information systems projects.

Vladimir serves on the editorial boards of several international project management journals, is a frequent participant in PM conferences worldwide, and provides ongoing counsel and support to PM professional leaders in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Yugoslavia and other countries.


Under Professor Voropajev?'s leadership, five International Symposiums on Project Management have been held in Russia , in Moscow in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1999, and in St. Petersburg in 1997 and 2005. Those conferences involved participants from throughout Russia and many foreign countries. He also served as Chairman of the Organizational and Program Committees on the 17th World Congress on Project Management in Moscow in 2003.

Prof. Voropaev was one of members of the Initiative Group in Vancouver, Canada in 1994 when the creation of the Global Project Management Forum (GPMF) was proposed. Since then, he was a member of the GPMF Steering Committee during 1995-2000. Prof. Voropajev was an active participant as an organizer, lecturer, and moderator at GPMF meetings in New Orleans (1995), Paris (1996), Boston (1996), Chicago (1997), Ljubljana (1998), Philadelphia (1999), London (2000), Tokyo (2001), Berlin (2002), Moscow (2003) and New Delhi (2005).

Born on July 10, 1934 in Omsk, Russia, Vladimir Voropajev has a Masters of Science Degree (MSc) in Hydrotechnic Engineering, with a major in melioration (Omsk University, 1957); Ph.D., in Construction Engineering, Mechanics of Soils, Bedding and Foundations (Moscow, 1966); and Doctor of Science in Technology and Management of Construction, (Moscow, 1987). He became a Certified Professor of Management Information Systems in 1991; Academician of International Academy of Investment and Construction Economy in 1993; and Academician of the Russian Federation Academy of Natural Science, Informatics and Cybernetics section in 1996.

He was Head of the Theory and Methodology of Construction Management Systems Department in the Experimental Research Institute for Automating Systems in Construction (1971 - 1974); Head of the Department of MIS for Water Supply Construction in the Research Institute for Hydrotechnique and Melioration, General Designer of CAD Systems for Minvodkhoz of the USSR (1974 - 1987), Deputy Director of the Central Research Institute for Construction Economy and Management (1987-2000); and Professor at the Moscow State Construction University (1991).

He was also Professor at the State University of Management, Department of Project Management (1997), State Academy professional training and improving qualification for top-managers and specialists of investment area (GASIS), Chief of department of Program and Project Management. Professor Voropajev can be reached at voropaev@sovnet.ru.



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Saralee Newell Becomes International Correspondent for pmforum.org in Florida


Saralee Newell, PMP, PMI Fellow, has joined PMForum.org as an International Correspondent in Central Florida, USA. Saralee is the president of PSM Consulting Services based in Davenport, Florida. She was formerly a project management specialist with Pro Unlimited (PeopleSoft); CSC Inc.; BrightStar Information Technology Group; and Walk, Haydel & Associates, Inc. in New Orleans.

Saralee has been active in the project management profession for many years and is well known among PMI leaders in the USA and internationally. Founder and former president of the Greater New Orleans chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI(R)), Saralee served on the PMI board of directors during 1997-1999. She served on the board of directors of the PMI Education Foundation during 1997-2002.

Saralee was the project manager for PMI?'s 1995 Seminars/Symposium in New Orleans, one of the most successful in history with over 2,000 attendees, for which she won PMI?'s Significant Contribution Award. She also co-hosted the inaugural Global PM Forum in 1995, held at the famous World Trade Center on the riverfront in New Orleans. She has served on PMI?'s Information Systems Advisory Committee, the Global Project Management Forum Steering Committee, the Technical Activities Center (TAC), and the Globalization Project Action Team (GPAT). She was a charter member of PMI?'s Information Systems Specific Interest Group (ISSIG) and International Development SIG (IDSIG). Saralee was elected a Fellow of PMI in 2005.

She has extensive experience in consulting and training related to IT project management, Microsoft Project and traditional project planning and control methodologies. She has many years of experience with project management software tools, including most Microsoft and Primavera applications, and with managing complex information systems development projects. She has project and PM experience in the automotive, chemicals, computer, educational, engineering, government, IT, petrochemical, transportation & Travel industries. Saralee has been responsible for managing individual projects, enterprise PM and PM offices.

Florida is a state located in the southeastern United States. Most of the state is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on its west and the Atlantic Ocean on its east. It has a warm and humid subtropical climate. Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State," but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the USA, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida also has the highest average precipitation of any US state. Although some storms have formed out of season, hurricanes pose a threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30. Florida has an area of 65,794 sq mi (170,451 sq km) and a population of 15,982,378 residents.

The gross state product of Florida in 2005 was $596 billion. Personal income was $30,098 per capita. Florida's economy relies heavily on tourism, with about 60 million visitors every year. Major tourist attractions include the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, Kennedy Space Center, Miami Beach, the Florida Keys, and the Everglades. Other major industries in Florida include aerospace, agriculture, banking, mining (phosphates), real estate development, and retirement living. Florida is one of the nine U.S. states that do not impose a personal income tax. Large cities in Florida include Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.

The United States of America (USA) is is a country in North America that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and shares land borders with Canada and Mexico and a sea border with Russia and The Bahamas. The United States is a federal republic, with its capital in Washington, D.C. The USA declaried its independence from Great Britain in 1776 and has been an independent and self governed democracy since that time. American military, economic, cultural, and political influence increased throughout the 20th century, especially after World War II. With the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War, the USA emerged as the world's sole remaining military superpower.

According to Wikipedia, the USA has over 3.7 million square miles (over 9.5 million km2) and is the fourth largest country in the world by total area. It is the world's third most populous country with just over 300 million citizens. With a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $12.485 trillion the USA, has the largest economiy in the world. The USA?fs median household income of $43,318 is 8th highest. The largest sector in the United States economy is services, which employs roughly three quarters of the work force. The United States has vast economic, political, and military influence on a global scale, which makes its foreign policy a subject of great interest and discussion around the world. Almost all countries have embassies in Washington, D.C., and consulates around the country. The USA is a founding member of the United Nations (with a permanent seat on the Security Council), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and is a member of many other international organizations. (Far more information about Florida and USA can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA).

Organizations in Florida are the source or sponsor of many projects, both in the state and around the USA. PMI has seven chapters in Florida. In addition, Orlando is one of the most popular locations in the USA for project management conferences, seminars and other events.

Saralee is based near Orlando, and can be contacted at snewell@psmconsult.com.


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Brian Kooyman Joins PMF Global Advisory Panel


Brian R. Kooyman, B. Arch., R.A.I.A., F.A.I.P.M., M.A.I.C.D., M.P.D, has agreed to become a global advisor for PMForum.org. Brian is Managing Director, Chairman of the Board and CEO of The Tracey, Brunstrom & Hammond Group, based in Sydney, Australia. He is also Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Business at Curtin University in Western Australia, Adjunct Professor of Project Management at the University of Technology Sydney in New South Wales, and Honorary Associate in the School of Government at the University of Sydney.

Brian was raised and educated in the Blue Mountains, immediately outside Sydney. At 17, he was awarded a scholarship to study Architecture at the University of New South Wales. In 1972, he graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture (UNSW), and 2 years later was admitted as an Associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. Following 5 years practice as an Architect, Brian joined Tracey, Brunstrom & Hammond (TBH) as a Senior Consultant.

Following his appointment as an Associate Director in 1982, and as a Director in 1986, the TBH Board appointed Brian as Managing Director of the TBH Group of companies in March 1995. TBH is one of the largest independent and privately owned project management companies in Australia, with offices in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. The organization specializes in strategic and project management services in the Construction, IT and Telecommunications industries.

Brian has devoted over 15 years of active service to the PM profession on executive committees in Universities and project management organizations in Australia and the USA. He is a past National President of the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) and was Chairman of the Global Council of the Project Management Institute (PMI®). He was a member and the Chair of PMI’s Nominating Committee for 2001 and 2002, and is currently the Vice Chair of PMI’s Ethics Review Committee.

A Fellow of AIPM (F.A.I.P.M.), Brian was the NSW Chapter President during 1989 ?| 1991, National Vice President & Chair of the Professional Affairs Committee during 1992 & 1993, National President for 1994 & 1995, Immediate National Past President for 1996 & 1997, Inaugural Chair of both the NSW Chapter and the National Project Management Awards for Excellence in Australian Project Management in 2000, and Panel judge on the 2003 NSW Project Management Award for Excellence.

Most recently Brian served as Chair of the organizing committee for the ProMAC 2006 International Project Management Conference, concluded in Sydney on 29 September 2006.

Brian is an Associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (A.R.A.I.A.); a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (M.A.I.C.D.); a Master Project Director (MPD), workplace assessment to National Level 6 AQF, Competency Assessment against the Australian National Project Management Competency Standards; and a Founding Director of the Project Management Recognition Council of Australia, 1998 to 2000. He was awarded an International Fellowship in 2002 from the Centre of Excellence for Project Management in India, the only Australian awarded such a Fellowship, and awarded the Inaugural Distinguished Contribution to Project Management by the Australian Council of PMI Chapters in 2003. Brian has been a keynote speaker at project management conferences in Australia, India, South Africa, and the U.S.A.

Brian Kooyman has over 35 years experience in a wide range of projects in various industries and locations, and has been directly involved in such well known projects as:

Brian also has extensive experience as an Expert Witness in Contractual Disputes, including International projects such as:

More information about the Global Advisory Panel can be found at:
http://www.pmforum.org/pm%20forum%20team/index.htm#3


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Alfonso Bucero joins PMF Correspondents Network in Spain


Mr. Alfonso Bucero, PMP, has joined PMForum.org as an International Correspondent in Spain. Alfonso is the founder and Managing Partner of BUCERO PM Consulting. He previously managed the office in Spain for the International Institute for Learning (IIL) for two years, and was a Senior Project Manager at Hewlett-Packard Spain (Madrid Office) for thirteen years.

Alfonso is an active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI®), of the ALI (Asociación de Licenciados, Ingenieros y Doctores en Informática), and of the Spanish Project Management Association, AEIPRO (afíliate member association of the International Project Management Association, IPMA). He is a member of and advisor to DINTEL.

Alfonso was the founder, Sponsor and President of the PMI Barcelona, Spain Chapter until April 2005, and he is an IPMA Asessor. He was a member of the CoPAT (Congress Project Action Team) for the PMI Global Congress - EMEA 2005 in Edinburgh, a CoPAT member of the PMI Global Congress - EMEA 2006 in Madrid, and a CoPAT member of the PMI Global Congress - EMEA 2007 in Budapest. He belongs to the LIAG (Leadership Institute Advisory Group) of PMI.

Alfonso has a Computer Science Engineering degree from Universidad Politecnica in Madrid, and is now studying for his Ph.D. in "Project Management". He has 28 years of practical experience and twenty two of them in project management worldwide. He has managed and consulted projects in different countries along Europe. Since 1994, Alfonso has been a frequent speaker at International PM Congresses and Symposiums. He has delivered PM training and consulting services in Asia, Belgium, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain and the USA. As a Project Management believer, he defends Passion, Persistence and Patience as the keys for project success.

He authored the book “Dirección de Proyectos, una nueva vision” published by “LITO GRAPO Editors) in Mexico on June 2003. And he is a contributor of Chapter 7 of the book “Creating the Project Office”, published on February 2003 by Jossey-Bass Editors (San Francisco/California), authored by Robert J. Gram., Paul Dinsmore and Randall L. Englund. Alfonso Bucero has co-authored with Randall L. Englund the book “Project Sponsorship – Achieving Commitment for Project Success” that was published by Jossey-Bass Editors in April 2006

Madrid is the larget city and capital of Spain and the third most populous city in the European Union. It is located on the river Manzanares in the center of the country, between the autonomous communities of Castilla-Leon and Castilla-La Mancha.

Due to its geographical location, wealth and history, Madrid is considered one of the financial centers of the Iberian Peninsula and the political center of Spain. Madrid city has a population of 3.5 million, while the state of Madrid has 6.0M citizens. As the capital of the Spanish Empire, Madrid has been a city of great cultural and political importance for centuries. Madrid is one of Spain's most popular destinations and one of the top European destinations concerning art museums.

Following the restoration of democracy in 1975 and Spain's integration into the European Union, Madrid has played an increasing role in European finances, marking the city as one of the most important European metropolises. Madrid is the second most important industrial center in Spain, exceeded only by Barcelona.

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country located in Southern Europe, with two small exclaves in North Africa (both bordering Morocco). Spain is a democracy which is organized as a parliamentary monarchy. It is a developed country with the ninth-largest economy in the world. It also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the strait of Gibraltar, known as Plazas de soberanía. The total area of Spain is 505,992 sq. km (51st in the world in size), or 195,364 square miles. The population of Spain is approximately 44.4 million (29th in the world).

According to Wikipedia, Spain had a total GDP of $1.029 trillion in 2005 (9th largest in the world) and a per capital GDP of $26,320. The Spanish economy has been regarded lately as one of the most dynamic in the EU, subsequently attracting significant amounts of foreign investment.

On January 1, 1999 Spain adopted the Euro as its national currency. On February 20 2005, Spain became the first country to allow its people to vote on the European Union constitution that was signed in October 2004. The result was strongly in support of the constitution, making Spain the first country to approve the constitution. Spain currently is thought to have one of the highest immigration rates in the EU. Spain is also regarded as the most decentralized State in Europe, with all of its different territories managing locally their Education and Health systems, and with some territories managing their own public finances. More information about Madrid and Spain can be found a: http://en.wikipedia.org.

Alfonso Bucero is based in Madrid, and can be contacted at:
alfonso.bucero@abucero.com.


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Florin Gheorghiu becomes PMF Correspondent in Romania


Mr. Florin Gheorghiu, PMP, has joined PMForum.org as an International Correspondent in Romania. Florin is also a Project Manager with UTI Group, a holding company based in Bucharest and in the business of large public building rehabilitation projects and complex security systems. Mr. Gheorghiu is a Professional Project Manager for the company. His current assignment is a large complex hotel rehabilitation project owned by a globally reputed hotel chain.

Florin has approximately 10 years of experience in Project Management methodology and process implementation covering the entire project life cycle. His applied expertise is primarily centered on “turn key” Engineering-Procurement-Construction projects in the power sector. His experience includes large power plant rehabilitation projects financed by the International Bank for Reconstruction & Development (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD).

Mr. Gheorghiu has worked for Parsons Power (Gilbert Commonwealth), Lahmeyer International and Pennsylvania Power & Light (PP&L) as a project consultant. Recently he joined UTI Group, a holding company in Bucharest and is acting as a professional project manager for the company. Assignments for UTI have included initiation, planning, execution, monitoring & controlling, and phasing-out of various projects within the Company such as: LV Power Supply Systems, Fire Detection and Alarming Systems, Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems, Structured Cabling System, Access Control Systems, CCTV, Intrusion Systems, BMS, Heat and water supply systems. He has held key responsibilities during both project initiation and implementation for contract negotiations, contractor selections and contract administration.

Some of his previous assignments and positions have included:

Florin?fs education includes the following:

Bucharest is the capital and industrial and commercial center of Romania. It is located in the southeast of the country and lies on the banks of the Dambovita River. In previous years, the city's elegant architecture and sophistication earned Bucharest the nickname of "Paris of the East". In recent years, the city has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom.

Bucharest has a population of 1.9 million, with approximately 2.3 million inhabitants in the greater metropolitan area. The city is the most prosperous in Romania and one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of Eastern Europe. Bucharest is the most industrialised city in Romania, producing around 21% of the country's GDP and about one-quarter of its industrial production. The city serves as the headquarters for 186,000 firms, including nearly all large Romanian companies. As the most important city in Romania, Bucharest also has a broad range of educational facilities. First mentioned as "the Citadel of Bucuresti" in 1459, the city was also the residence of the Wallachian prince Vlad III the Impaler during the late fifteenth century.

Romania is a country in Southeastern Europe bordering Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and Moldova to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south. Romania has a stretch of sea coast along the Black Sea, and the eastern and southern Carpathian mountains run through its center. Romania has been an active member of NATO since 2004, and is due to join the European Union on January 1, 2007. Romania will have the seventh largest population (22.3 million) and the ninth largest territory in the EU.

Romania is a republic and has a GDP of approximatel US$200 billion ($9,446 per capita in 2006). The Romanian currency is the Leu (RON). From 2000 onwards, the Romanian economy has had relative macroeconomic stability, with high growth and low unemployment. In 2004, GDP growth was 8.4%, one of the highest in Europe. In 2006, growth is expected to exceed 7%. Romania's main exports are clothing and textiles, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, metallurgic products, raw materials, cars, military equipment, software, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, and flowers). Trade is mostly with the European Union, and especially Germany and Italy. The Danube River, which forms Romania?'s border with Bulgaria and Serbia, flows into the Black Sea on Romanian territory, forming the Danube Delta, the largest delta in Europe (currently a biosphere reserve and World Heritage-listed site due to its biodiversity). More information about Bucharest and Romania can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org.

Mr. Gheorghiu lives in Bucharest, Romania
and can be reached at: fgheorghiu2001@yahoo.com.


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Manfred Rieck becomes PMF Correspondent in Germany


Mr. Manfred Rieck, PMP, has joined PMForum.org as an International Correspondent in Germany. Mr. Rieck is also European Deployment Leader in IBM's Project Management Center of Excellence (PM/CoE) based in Frankfurt. For IBM, Manfred is a Program Manager for IT-Business Development and Project Delivery in the finance, automotive, and public sectors. He holds an IBM Senior Project Manager certification, is a member of the IBM PM Certification Board for Germany, and he is the IBM representative in the European Corporate Networking Group (ECNG) established by the Project Management Institute, (PMI®).

Manfred has more than 18 years of experience in high technology development and industrial project environments, including 13 in Project Management. He is currently Vice President of the Frankfurt Chapter of PMI, has been active with the PMI Frankfurt Chapter for the past five years, and is actively involved in promoting professional project management throughout Europe.

Prior to joining IBM in 2000, Manfred was a Principal in Creamware, a hardware and software startup company in Siegburg, Germany. Before he worked for Proton, a computer company in Bonn, Germany, and for Hartenstein & Engelmann, a electronics firm in Cologne, Germany serving the automotive, energy and steel industries.

Some of Manfred's interesting assignments and projects have included:

Manfred is a member of PMI® and the German Computer Society (GI), and has been a speaker during the last five years at various technical conferences, project management congresses and IBM leadership meetings across Europe. He is co-author of the book ?"XML Komponenten in der Praxis?", published by Springer, Berlin, in 2004, and of the book ?"Industrialisierung des Bankbetriebs", published by Wiley, in 2005, and of numerous papers and articles on various aspects of IT project management, and web, e-business, and e-government systems development. He has special knowledge related to strategic planning, MBA related models and tools, PMI?'s PMBok Guide, IBM's World Wide Project Management Method, IBM's Global Services Method, extreme Programming, SOA, and Web Services technologies.

Manfred has a Diplom-Informatik degree from University Bonn, Germany and is currently enrolled in the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program through Henley Management College in the UK. He is a member of the 2007 PMI(R) Leadership Institute Master Class that concludes in September 2007.

Frankfurt am Main is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany. Frankfurt is a financial and service centre of global importance and is one of the leading locations for companies in Europe. Its central location, its well-developed infrastructure with the largest airport on the continent, and the concentration of internationally active companies in various sectors provide Frankfurt with one of the top positions in Europe.

The Frankfurt urban area, which extends beyond the city boundaries, had an estimated population of 1,468,140 in 2000. The city is at the center of the larger Frankfurt Rhine Main Area which has a population of 5 million and is Germany's second largest metropolitan area. Situated on the Main river, Frankfurt is the financial and transportation center of Germany. Frankfurt has been Germany's financial capital for centuries and is the home of a number of major banks, brokerages, the European Central Bank, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Frankfurt is one of the two largest financial centres in continental Europe and is the wealthiest city in the European Union as measured by GDP per capita. Frankfurt is home to Germany's largest internet exchange point, DE-CIX. Frankfurt is also home to chemical industries, advertising, software business and call centers, and to many cultural and educational institutions.

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea, to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland, and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Within its borders are a portion of the Alps, the famous Rhine and Danube rivers, and the Black Forest. Its capital is Berlin; many of the governmental institutions, ministries as well as embassies were moved to Berlin from Bonn (now Federal City of Bonn), the former capital of West Germany, in 1999.

Germany is a democratic parliamentary federal republic. Historically consisting of several sovereign states with their own history, distinct German tribe dialects, culture and religious beliefs, Germany was unified as a nation state amidst the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.

The Federal Republic of Germany is a member state of the United Nations, NATO, the G8 and the G4 nations, and is a founding member of the European Union. With a population of 82,438,000 (2005), Germany is the European Union's most populous and most economically powerful member state. Since reunification Germany has resumed its role as a major centre country between Scandinavia in the north and the Mediterranean region in the south, as well as between the Atlantic west and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Germany shares borders with more European countries than any other country in Europe.

Germany's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.797 trillion (2005) places its economy 3rd in the world; its per capital GDP of 33,854 is 19th highest. Germany was the world's top exporter and number two in imports in 2005, with a large trade surplus (160.6 billion euros). In export of services (tourism, financial services, engineering...) it ranks third behind the USA and UK. Although most exports are in engineering (such as cars, machinery, chemical goods, and optics), Germany also has a strong position in the export of microelectronics. More information about Frankfurt and Germany can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org.

Manfred Rieck lives in Wiesbaden, Germany
(near to Frankfurt) and can be reached at:
Manfred.Rieck@de.ibm.com.


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