Project Leadership Forum to Showcase Best Practices Interactive Case Studies

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Apr 26, 2011

Case studies exploring the impact of leadership on project management are among the highlights of the 2011 Project Leadership Forum, a two-day program set for May 5-6, 2011 at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. 

The annual event brings together notable project management and leadership experts for keynote presentations, case study analysis and interactive leadership workshops. The Forum presents new ideas about the impact of leadership on project management and explores the critical competencies of project leadership.

Facilitated by project stakeholders, including the client sponsor and/or the project manager, the 90-minute case study sessions will give participants an opportunity to explore how leadership factors contributed to the project’s success or failure, and to identify how they can address future projects differently by applying best practices and lessons learned from this project.

"Overcoming Legacy to Implement Modern Technology Systems and Achieve Strategic Positioning,"

Larry Fortin, CIO, Millers Mutual Insurance

This case study will focus on the recent implementation of an on-line rating and quoting system for agents at Millers Mutual Insurance. This project is but one aspect of a six year strategic IT plan, which is in support of an overarching strategy for Millers to redefine itself.   The business problem: Millers' agents are writing business with other insurance carriers, because they are much easier to do business with. Millers' competitors have provided their agents with an online portal to access estimated cost proposals. In contrast, for most of Millers' product lines, cost estimates are developed through phone or paper document exchange and take hours or days to provide. The goal of the project is to implement a state of the art on-line rating and quoting system that would provide Millers' agents with the ability to quote most risks within minutes and submit the information to the Millers' home office electronically. The project needs to be done within the boundaries of the overall IT architectural strategy and needs to be completed within a 12 month period.  CIO Larry Fortin will discuss how the project was completed in 9 months, within 15% of projected cost estimates, and led to increased revenues in 2010. He will explore topics such as the importance of action plans and scheduling, communications, the 'lilly pad effect,' personnel changes, and stakeholder support, such as training and customer service. He will also share his perspectives on working with vendors, and staying in-tune with business challenges, strategy and operations.

"Leadership in International Projects"

Robert Marsters, PMP, Director of International Business, GeoDecisions, a division of Gannett Fleming

Mosque Development Support System, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In 2009, GeoDecisions was contracted by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) to design, develop and deploy an Emirate wide Mosque Development Support System. The system allows the UPC to evaluate the fit of a recommended mosque site and associated services, as proposed by a private developer. The system allows the UPC to conduct a semi-automated analysis to proactively determine optimal mosque site locations. The system takes into consideration population demographics and Mosque capacities to model supply and demand and rank suitability. This case study will cover many leadership challenges, including but not limited to multiple stakeholders, new business workflows, distributed development team, international realities (time zones, work week, cultures, language and religion) and project risks.

"Leading the Unconventional Convention Center Project"

Dave Angle, Chief Operating Officer, Reynolds Construction, andMark Fitzgerald, President and Chief Operating Officer, High Associates Ltd

The Lancaster Marriott and Lancaster County Convention Center project, led by High Associates and Reynolds Construction was an extremely complex development project — possibly the most complex some project managers will face in their career. The project would ultimately serve a variety of public and private stakeholders, with assorted business, technical, financial, historic preservation and community-oriented requirements and strategic goals. Community members from Lancaster and the surrounding region are likely to recall some of the many 'ups and downs' that the project faced on the road to becoming a reality. From project inception through owner occupancy, sessions leaders will explore some of the challenges and courses of action taken to keep the project moving forward. Project managers who attend this session will explore the challenges and the overall achievements of the project from those who were at its helm. Learn what it takes to manage a high-stakes project like this, and what leadership principles these leaders say contributed to the successful completion, of what some consider, the crown jewel in Lancaster's downtown revitalization!

"Leadership—It's not rocket science. Unless, you're a NASA project manager"

Edward Rogers, PhD, Chief Knowledge Officer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Dr. Rogers will return to the Project Leadership Forum for a second year to discuss how he works with engineers and leaders at NASA to learn from past projects and improve new missions. This session will examine one of the more complex projects at the Goddard Space Flight Center and illustrate how project managers, senior leaders and engineers are impacted by issues of organizational culture, diverse stakeholders perspectives, and the organization's complex mission.

"Supporting the Marcellus Shale Boom"

Marc Reeves, P.G., Vice President Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
Energy Environment and Infrastructure, LLC

This case study will focus on the staffing and quality management while supporting diverse environmental and engineering projects in the Marcellus Shale footprint. Natural gas producers have already invested more than $4 billion in Pennsylvania in lease and land acquisition, new well drilling, infrastructure development and community partnerships, with an even greater investment expected in the future.  The business problem: The Marcellus shale is present beneath areas of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia where SAIC did not have existing local offices or staff. To meet the demands of our customers, local offices and staff were required within narrow timelines (typically less than 2 months). Many of SAIC's competitors already have longstanding offices within the Marcellus footprint and SAIC had to respond quickly to demands in order to preserve clients and posture for future growth. In addition, all new staff brought into the Program must be trained on strict quality and safety requirements.
Vice President Marc Reeves will discuss the range of projects and demands of the diverse client base. He will detail how over 40 new program staff were deployed within a 2 month period with both the quality and safety of the work maintained. He will also discuss the challenges of establishing a local presence in rural areas while minimizing costs.

Noted leadership educator and consultant Dr. Peter G. Dominick will present on why organizations continue to struggle with leadership development and the process of leadership development as the keynote speaker. Dominick, an assistant professor of management at Stevens Institute of Technology, is coordinator of leadership development education at Stevens’ Howe School’s Executive MBA, Project Management and Undergraduate Business and Technology programs. As an educator and consultant, he has created leadership development curriculum stressing action learning and personal development planning.

His keynote presentation,Leadership Development as a Mindset,is set for Friday, May 6, 2011. The talk focuses on understanding that process as a particular form of behavior change. It will describe some important ways in which you can develop and apply a core set of capabilities that underlie human learning across a diverse set of activities to your own development efforts.

Plan to attend the Project Leadership Forum, May 5 – 6, 2011 at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.  For more information, visit online athttp://www.harrisburgu.edu/academics/professional/2011program.php  or emailProfessionalEd@HarrisburgU.eduor call 717.901.5190.

Harrisburg University is located at 326 Market Street in Harrisburg.  Parking is available in the Harrisburg Parking Authority operated garage accessible via Fourth Street. Cost for parking in the garage is $5.00 for 0-2 hours. Kiosk for parking accepts cash only. More information on parking rates and directions to the University are found online athttp://www.harrisburgu.net/campuslife/directions.php#parking

You can literally take planes, trains and automobiles to the event. The University’s location in downtown Harrisburg is near Interstates 83 and 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, making it an easy drive to the University from any of Pennsylvania’s major cities. And it’s only a two-hour drive from the University to Baltimore, Washington, DC or Philadelphia. The Amtrak Passenger Train Station and Greyhound Bus Station are one block from our location. And the Harrisburg International Airport is only nine miles from the University.http://www.harrisburgu.edu/campuslife/directions.php

Founded in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution that produces graduates who provide increased competence and capacity in science and technology disciplines to Pennsylvania and the nation. Harrisburg University ensures institutional access for underrepresented students and links learning and research to practical outcomes. As a private University serving the public good, Harrisburg University remains the only STEM-focused comprehensive university located between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

For more information on the University's demand-driven undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in applied science and technology fields, call 717.901.5146 or emailConnect@HarrisburgU.edu

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