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March 2025 Newsletter
Welcome to March, PMI Madison! Spring is almost here, and we've got a plenty going on to help you come out of your winter hibernation and connect with fellow members!
The President's Corner
President’s Blog: Empowering Project Managers: a Commitment to Lifelong learning
In Rodney's latest blog post, he shares the events and opportunities that PMI Madison offers to help you achieve your professional growth through continuous learning, no matter what career stage you're in. Read more about PMI Madison's core professional development inititiaves, such as our monthly chapter meetings and mentorship program, and how you can get involved here.
President’s Open Office Hour
As part of our ongoing commitment to engage with our members and foster open communication, we are excited to announce the next President’s Open Office Hour is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 11, at 6:00 pm. This informal, virtual event provides an opportunity for members to connect directly with the President and leadership team, discuss chapter initiatives, and share ideas.
What to Expect
The President’s Open Office Hour is a relaxed, informal space where chapter members can:
- Engage in Open Dialogue: Ask questions, share thoughts, and discuss how the chapter can better serve its members.
- Explore Opportunities: Learn more about volunteer roles, mentorship programs, certification paths, and other chapter initiatives.
- Network with Peers: Connect with fellow members and leadership in a friendly and welcoming environment.
How to Register
To participate in the March 11 President’s Open Office Hour, please register here to secure your spot and receive the event details. We encourage you to come with questions, ideas, and a willingness to connect with others who share your passion for project management.
We look forward to seeing you on March 11 at 6:00 pm!
Volunteer with Us at Second Harvest Foodbank!
Since 1986, Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin is responsible for distributing more than 300 million pounds of food to our neighbors here in Southern Wisconsin.
To support their efforts to end hunger in our community, PMI Madison is organizing a chapter-wide volunteer event at Second Harvest from 12:30 - 3:30pm March 22, and we're looking for a few more volunteers!
Come spend the afternoon with us supporting our local community and fostering connections with your fellow PMI members.
We only have 3 spots left, and sign-ups close after today! Sign up now!
Level Up Your AI Application Skills
Our friends at New Resources Consulting are leading the charge and hosting a FREE AI Bootcamp next Thursday, March 13 to help you stay at the forefront of adopting AI into your workflows.
This day-long event is packed with interactive sessions that will leave you with practical AI skills that you can actually use. You won't want to miss this!
What’s on the agenda?
- GitHub Copilot, DeepSeek R1, AI Agents, and more—practical, hands-on sessions you can actually use.
- Four Microsoft MVPs sharing their expertise on how AI is shaping development workflows.
- A room full of developers, engineers, IT pros, and AI enthusiasts ready to talk shop and build connections.
Location: ManpowerGroup HQ, Milwaukee
Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Cost: Totally free! Just bring yourself and your laptop to get hand-on in interactive sessions!
Register here
Driving Change Through Environmental Sustainability: Optimizing Water Conservation
When PMI Madison's own Director of Community Outreach, Jacob Kositzke, was working at a large food manufacturing spraydray plan, he uncovered an opportunity to reduce the plant's water consumption.
The plant had over 400 product transfer pumps, and as many of the liquid food products were sticky and abrasive, the pump seals needed to have a double mechanical seal with a flush water line to keep the seal cool and lubricated.
The challenge was that this seal water was largely unmonitored and using typically 0.5 gallons per minute. At a large manufacturing plant that washes every department daily, this quantity of water is not categorized as critical. However, when the project team identified and quantified the total potential water saving across the applicable pumps, it was significant enough to identify this as an organizational priority.
The project team's objectives included:
- Quantifing the minimum suitable flow of seal water that met manufacturer requirements
- Identifying potential water savings
- Implementing equipment to conserve seal water
As a result of the initial study, the project team found that 150 product transfer pumps were being overfed seal water. The pump seal requirement was only 0.05 gallons per minute meaning that the plant was able to save 97,200 gallons of water per day by adding a seal water flowmeter control valve.
Other best practices that were implemented included using recycled single pass cooling water as a supply and installing solenoid valves to ensure that seal water was only provided when the pump was running.
Having now worked at several plants, Jacob has now found that this is a common problem in product facilities and leverages this solution as a best practice, including the initial installation of any new pump seal.
Want to share your own sustainability project success?
Send a brief description of your project, including its objectives, outcomes, and any challenges you overcame, to PMI Madison's Director of Community Outreach. Please include your name, project title, and a photo (if available).
Let’s work together to showcase how project management can drive meaningful change for our environment. We can’t wait to hear about the incredible work our members are doing to make a difference!
Mentorship Spotlight: Emily Henken Bollenbach & Amber Bennett
Emily Henken Bollenbach is the Assistant Diector of Operations and Engagement within Campus and Visitor Relations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and oversees key programs, including the Prospective Student Tours and Campus Visit Program, serving over 50,000 visitors annually. Additionally, Emily is leading the development and implementation of a 360-degree virtual tour of the UW–Madison campus.
As part of pursuing her project management certificate through UW-Madison's Division of Continuing Studies, Emily participated in PMI Madison's Mentorship Program to meet certificate requirements, and was paired with Amber Bennett, contract Senior Project Manager at the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds. In her role, Amber is helping to lead the modernization of benefit eligibility and enrollment for members of the Wisconsin Retirement System.
For Amber, becoming a mentor was a no-brainer. Not only is she is able to claim PDUs towards maintaining her PMP certification through mentoring, but as someone with a strong penchant for professional development, she loves to help others love project management as much as she does.
For Emily, having a mentor provides the opportunity to practice project management in a supportive environment, while receiving valuable guidance to effectively lead a real project. By applying project management principles to her virtual campus tour project, she was enabled to coordinate various aspects of a large-scale project in an organized and realistic manner. As a result of applying these techniques, Emily successfully coordinated a complex project with a small implementation team. By developing a comprehensive charter, I was able to define the scope, plan for risk mitigation, and align campus partners with different goals and priorities to collaboratively create a cohesive product.
What do you seen is the value in pursuing mentorship?
Amber: "As a mentor, I am reminded of the very basics of project management - going through risk registers and Work Breakdown Structures, etc with my mentee was a great reminder of how the tools we use every day help us be successful. Sometimes we can get caught up in the minutia of the day and mentoring helped me take a step back and remind myself to look at the bigger picture and the goal of a project, including supporting our stakeholders!"
Emily: "Having a mentor provides the opportunity to practice project management in a supportive environment, while receiving valuable guidance to effectively lead a real project."
Interested becoming a mentor or recieving mentorship? Learn more and apply here!
Save the Date for PDD 2025
Our signature event, the Professional Development Day, is an opportunity for project management professionals to engage in immersive learning experiences, gain fresh perspectives, and expand their professional networks. Featuring a lineup of inspiring keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and breakout sessions, PDD provides attendees with the latest industry insights and practical strategies to apply in their projects.
PDD 2025 will be held on Wednesday, October 1. Mark your calendars and stay tuned until later this spring and summer when we’ll announce keynote speakers and officially open registration!
Stay connected with us for upcoming events and programs, and let’s make 2025 a year of learning, growth, and success together!
