Spring is here! Come out and join us for our March 26th Chapter meeting. Linda Young will help us learn how to keep a positive attitude in a negative environment. You won't want to miss this interesting topic.

Also, check out the details for our upcoming Professional Development seminar scheduled for May 3rd.

March Chapter Meeting

"Keeping a Positive Attitude in a Negative Environment" - presented by Linda Young

We all know that projects result in organizational change, and that some people resist or even resent change in their lives. Add that to the fact that some people in an organization get upset by the very existence of projects - those who were selected for the team may not want to be involved, and those who weren't selected may feel that they should be on the team. Any of these factors may result in a work place with less-than-happy campers.

And most of us know that sharing space with a "sour apple" can be an emotionally draining experience. Often, you aren't able to neutralize the negative impact of this person, as hard as you may try to remain positive.

In our meeting, Linda Young will present motivations and problems that may be at the root of negative behaviors, and she will explore tactics for "holding your own" in a negative environment.

Linda is a trainer and motivational speaker who has conducted seminars for businesses and groups throughout the Midwest. Her presentation topics include work-related issues and improvements in personal growth. She has been a psychotherapist in several different settings for 30 years.

The meeting will be Wednesday, March 26th at Hall's Guesthouse on Washington Center Road in Fort Wayne. Networking begins at 5:30 PM, dinner is served at 6:00 PM, and the presentation begins at 7:00 PM.

RSVP now to hear how to improve your understanding of one of the "human factors" in project management!

Developmental Opportunities

Get more information about professional certification and the job market on the PMI career development page. To learn more details about the three certifications that PMI offers - CAPM, PMP, and PgMP - explore the PMI credentials page.

If you have already decided to get one of PMI's certifications, remember that the mandatory 35-hour preparation class can be obtained for $150 through our NEIC Chapter, whether you're a PMI member or not. Information about this internet-based class is available on our website.

Central Indiana Chapter of PMI (PMI-CIC) is holding a two-day Project Management Conference in Bloomington on Thursday, May 8^th, and Friday, May 9^th. The cost is $375 for PMI members if you register before March 28^th; there is NO on-site (walk-in) registration. You can save $100 if you register before March 28^th. The conference grants 11 PDUs. See the conference web-site for more information about the program and speakers, and the block of rooms that has been reserved at a discounted rate.

President's Column

by Kathi Heyes

Hello again! This month, just a quick update on the items I mentioned last month, as my initial areas of focus:

1) The David Arthur Maynard Scholarship Program

Information will be going out to the various local schools very soon. We are looking into other means to get the word out about this offering. If any of you members have any ideas to share, please contact me! The application window for this year is May 1 through June 30. Applications received will be reviewed in August and an award will be awarded in September.

2) Professional Development Days offered by NEIC

We are currently well underway for planning for two Professional Development Days for this year: one coming up on May 3rd, and the other is tentatively scheduled for October.

3) Membership Input

Well, two out of three ain't bad! No updates for this topic this month-stay tuned!

Kathi

Board Member Profile

Tiffany Yoquelet,

VP of Administration

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Hello! My name is Tiffany Yoquelet [pronounced yoh-cah-let], and I am the VP of Administration for the Northeast Indiana Chapter of the Project Management Institute. My position is responsible for assuring the smooth operation of the chapter's business, including chapter-level record keeping. This is my first year on the board, and I can say I am truly blessed to be a part of this board who has a tremendous amount of knowledge, skill, professionalism, and talent.

I have managed several projects and project managers at Three Rivers Federal Credit Union where I have been employed for almost 13 years. In my current role as Project Administrator, I am responsible for supervising the planning, prioritization, resource allocation, coordination, tracking, and completion of significant projects throughout the credit union; ensuring effective project management policies and procedures are established and maintained; providing guidance and support to project managers; and serving as project manager where required.

Currently I am preparing to sit for the coveted PMP certification. I have taken the PMP Prep Class from the chapter (which I have to say is outstanding), applied for the examination, was audited in the process, and am scheduled to take the exam in April.

I have an Associate of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in Management and Human Resource Management from Indiana Institute of Technology where I graduated Summa Cum Laude and was nominated for outstanding graduate. I am a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society. I am pursuing my Master of Science in Organizational Leadership at Indiana Institute of Technology.

In addition to sitting on the board, my other community involvement includes Steering Committee for the YWCA Circle of Women, Canstruction, and Junior Achievement.

I am a proud wife, mother, and animal lover. I have been married to James Yoquelet for almost 10 years. He is the Service Manager at Associated Material Handling. I have one eight year old daughter, Payton, who is actively involved in gymnastics, bowling, and basketball; and one six year old son, Tyson, who is actively involved in bowling and has recently found an appreciation for Tae Kwon Do. We have 2 boxers - Bailey is 6 and Sugar is 3 - and we have four hermit crabs. In the summer, you can find us at our lake cottage on Adams Lake.

I hope if you are a member of the chapter you see the value. If you are not a member of the chapter, please contact me and I would love to tell you about the many benefits of the chapter. I look forward to seeing you soon.

May 3rd Professional Development Seminar -

Presented by Gary Monti

Dealing with Troubled Projects - Quick Principle Based Assessment and Turnaround Planning

Is your project in trouble? In the first part of the workshop the frame of mind necessary for assessing both the politics and technical aspects of a project from an earned value perspective will be presented. This will be followed by the approach needed to gauge and gain necessary commitments for stabilizing a project and determining what part of the original scope can be achieved.

In the second part of the workshop students will first perform exercises to guage the poitical strength of one of their own projects followed by an actual case study (names changed to protect the innocent) to show how the methods come together to create one cohesive plan that addresses both political and technical issues grounded in an earned value approach.

This seminar is scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd, at Don Hall's Guesthouse from 8 AM to Noon. If you attend this seminar, you can earn 4 PDU's. More details about the cost will be coming out soon. Watch for the flyer!

About our Speaker:

Gary Monti, has been active in project

management and change management since 1979. In 1984 he established the Center for Managing Change providing management, consulting, educational, and mentoring services on an international basis. That same year he received his PMP status, being number 14.

Active in the Project Management Institute (PMI^�), Mr. Monti has been a presenter at the International Symposium and chapter meetings. At the chapter level he has served as president and held other offices for the Central Ohio Chapter.

David Arthur Maynard Scholarship

Again this year, the Northeast Indiana Chapter of PMI will be sponsoring a scholarship contest to students engaged in a four-year university program related to the project management discipline, such as engineering, technology, business, etc. Applicants must complete an application form, and be sponsored by a Chapter member in good standing. This scholarship awards a single prize of $2,000.

Applications will be accepted beginning May 1^st, with the award being applied to the student's university account in the fall. Keep watching the web-site for more details and the application form.

Upcoming Chapter Events

Make a Note #2 Here are the upcoming meetings and events of the Northeast Indiana PMI Chapter. All meetings will be held at Hall's Guesthouse on Washington Center Road in Fort Wayne, unless otherwise noted.

� April 23rd - Off-site meeting at Northeast Indiana Innovation Center in Fort Wayne. The Center is a technology business incubator which is the home to 40 entrepreneurial companies. Dr. Daryl Yost, Director, will speak about two of their building projects and finish with a tour.

� May 3rd - Professional Development Session; Gary Monti, PMP, "Dealing with Troubled Projects" (a 4-hour PDU session)

� May 28th - Michelle Gladieux, "Powerful Presentation Skills" (a two-hour, 2 PDU session!)

� September 24th - Sweetwater Sound, plans are being finalized for a program and tour of the new facility in Fort Wayne

� October 22nd - Greg McCormick, PMP, "Effective Work Breakdown Structures"

If you have ideas for a topic you'd like to hear presented at one of our meetings, or if you are willing to share your project-related methods and experience with the group, or if you even know of an engaging speaker, please contact Pat Ruger, VP of Programs.

Board Report

The Board of Directors met on March 12. Here are the items your volunteer Board is working on:

� The Chapter's Charter with the international PMI organization has been renewed.

� Dave Maynard did some Corporate Outreach sessions with several local businesses and organizations. All of his sessions have been well-attended and well-received.

� The Idea was brought up to establish and maintain list of contacts at local businesses and other organizations.

� Dave continues to improve the software used to manage the Chapter's web-site, and to protect it from a persistent hacker (in Russia).

� The BOD discussed and approved the expenses involved with upcoming speakers, and considered the idea of obtaining sponsorships to assist with defraying the expenses associated with monthly meetings and PDU sessions.

� Board confirmed its commitment to providing high-quality presenters at the monthly meetings and professional development sessions.

� We also discussed how to best communicate last-minute decisions to cancel Board meetings.

� We are beginning to formalize and collect the Chapter Policies & Procedures, which will be incorporated into the Chapter Handbook. Related to this item is the subject of document archival and retention.

� The Quicken software used for Chapter financial work has been upgraded to the 2008 version

� Back-up signatories have been added to the Chapter's bank accounts.

� 21 people are in the current PMP Prep class, including two who are pursuing CAPM certification.