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BRINGING THE PMI WORLD COMMUNITY TOGETHER
PMI Upstate New York Chapter
Risk Management =
Opportunity Management
RISK COULD BE considered
“the dark underbelly” of project
management. Not paying attention to
it could mean projects that stumble
and fail, budgets that are broken,
resources that are ruined and scopes
that go awry. But it doesn’t have to
be that way.
That was the message heard by
more than 80 people who attended
the PMI Upstate New York Chapter’s
fourth annual Professional Development Day, which was held on 23
March. Hosted by noted risk manage-
Upstate New
York Chapter
Hosts 4th
Annual
Professional
Development
Day
Members of the PMI Upstate New York Chapter Professional Development Day Committee pose with
presenter Carl Pritchard, PMP, following the day-long conference. From left, Jo Ann Clute, PMP; David
Pinkham, PMP; Eileen Armstrong, PMP; Karen Huggins, PMP; Chapter President Norine Kenney, PMP;
Brenda Breslin, PMP; Mr. Pritchard; Chris Foster, PMP; Carol Bates, PMP; Tim Christensen, PMP; Diana
Pinto, PMP; and Sharon Landsman, PMP.
ment expert Carl Pritchard, PMP, the
day-long learning program focused
on how risks can present new, unforeseen opportunities.
“If a key resource is pulled from
your staff, don’t fret,” instructed
Pritchard. “Embrace it. View it as a
chance for remaining staff to pick up the
slack and learn new skills. Or, maybe the
new resource brings a fresh perspective.”
“Risk Management: Dealing With
Project Risk and Opportunity” was the
keynote professional development event
for the chapter. Coordinated by Vice
President of Programming Karen
Huggins, PMP, the event was the
product of the chapter’s Professional
Development Committee.
“The committee listened to chapter
members, and our members wanted a
national figure,” said Huggins. “We
were very happy to host Carl this year,
and look forward to having him again.”
Participants role-played through
myriad project risk management steps
including identification, prioritization,
response and categorizing. Mr. Pritchard’s
characteristic good humor, story telling
and student involvement kept the
instruction fast-paced and interesting.
“No doubt about it, the best professional development day I’ve ever been
to,” commented Donna O’Leary, PMP,
who is currently managing an enterprise
software installation for a large government agency. “The committee did a
great job.”
Attendees received the latest copy of
Mr. Pritchard’s book, Risk Management:
Concepts and Guidance.
The Professional
Development Day is
only one of the
learning events
hosted by the
chapter’s program
committee and education committee.
Monthly dinner
meetings, biannual
certification class-
es, and partnerships with local groups
such as Habitat for Humanity offer
chapter members many opportunities
for continuing education and professional development units. The chapter
boasts a growing membership of
approximately 480 members, 64 percent
of whom hold the Project Management
Professional (PMP)® credential.
