PMI Minnesota Chapter members are invited to vote in the 2017 Board of Directors election from September 9 through 11:59pm on September 29. We welcome your participation, and every vote counts!
Electronic voting:
Access to the electronic ballot will be via email link and through the 'Members Only' section of the PMI website (left column when logged into PMI-MN.org).
Candidate bios:
Candidate nominees are listed below. You may select your favorite candidates by marking your choices carefully from the online ballot.
Election results:
Results will be broadcast in the October newsletter. Please contact the Nominating Committee with any questions.
| 2017 President | Chris Doyle (current 2016 President-Elect) | (2nd of 3-year term) |
| 2017 Past President | Terri Kimball, PMP (current 2016 President) | (3rd of 3-year term) |
| 2017 Director of Finance | Michelle Maas, PMP | (2nd of 2-year term) |
| 2017 Director at Large | Jerry Gomes, PMP | (2nd of 2-year term) |
| 2017 Director at Large | Joe Perzel, PMP | (2nd of 2-year term) |
President-Elect serves a three year term moving from President-Elect and Chief Operating Officer (2017) to President (2018) and then to Past President (2019).
Mohamed Diab, Ph.D
I am Associate Professor of Construction Management at Minnesota State University-Mankato. I have been working in construction industry for 31 years with a focus on construction education in the last 10 years. I have been interested in developing and utilizing the best practices in training project leaders in the project management and construction industry so I would like to continue to participate in the leadership of Minnesota PMI.
As a current Membership Chair, I have been able to improve our members’ experiences by enhancing the new member orientation, career networking group, and career fair opportunities. I am working as well with my committee team members in two initiatives to improve retention and increase membership for different groups.
My vision is to continue to build a quality organization by providing more creative tools to improve members career opportunities and improving our learning platform where people come to expand their learning capacities through sharing ideas and experiences about project management methods.
My approach to leadership is to empower the team to have creative, productive and enjoyable volunteering experiences.
Geraldine Marks (Anyanwu), PMP
IT Project Manager at AON Benfield. With nine plus years of project management experience in business and information technology in strategic planning, project implementation, and team leadership in CPG, Healthcare and Insurance industries. I am currently the IT Chair for the chapter and would like to continue to participate in the leadership of Minnesota PMI.
As IT Chair, I have been active in regular chair responsibilities, as well as the monthly Ops meeting, special projects (I AM PMI Testimonial Video) and acting as liaison to the MARCOM committee. I have signed up to volunteer at our Professional Development Day in September. I grew and learned a lot from PMI by learning more about project management; participating in the leadership of PMI; and by expanding my network of professionals to share ideas with.
My vision is to continue to contribute to the success of the organization by active volunteer efforts in support of its strategic initiative. I am a benefactor of an organization that promotes success and thus would like to give back by assisting in developing leaders and building an environment where people come to expand their learning capacities. In addition I will assist with the development of succession plans for future PMI chapter leaders.
My approach to leadership is to empower the team so that they:
1) feel motivated to be a part of a dynamic organization
2) know their volunteer activity makes a difference
3) learn project management in a volunteer setting.
Manish Kalra, PMP
Performance oriented IT professional with exceptional skills in formulating technology and process initiatives, leading all aspects of project implementation using PMI guidelines, to deliver best outcomes. Solid track record of delivering service to exceed business and quality expectations; leading the teams by using accountability and self-motivation guiding principles.
My vision is to build on the brand name for PMI-MN chapter, by working with the community to create a model of partnership that would deliver best outcomes for individuals, organizations, educational institutions and our chapter. I would ensure all volunteers have the resources needed to support their work and escalations are handled in a timely manner. I would leverage the Quality/Process Improvement angle to build on and evolve our profession.
Best way to lead is to set strategic vision and become a role model for your team. I would build a culture of trust and compassion in my team, and make sure they embraces the core values of responsibility, respect, fairness and honesty (PMI Code of Ethics), so we can advance our profession, both individually and collectively.
Mark Neumann, PMP
I have 10+ years of experience in roles of: Project Manager, IT Project Manager, Board of Director, Consultant, Oracle Database Analyst, Systems Analyst, and Programming Analyst in large enterprise companies and technology start-up environments. I have volunteered at PMI-MN and other organizations in a number of capacities including as a Board of Director for ten years at Aeon.
A healthy organization is where people come to expand their knowledge through sharing ideas and experiences about project management methods with fellow members. We understand that relationships are critical to help people work together. Trust is earned and preserved through truthfulness, integrity, active engagement and collaboration with our colleagues. We will approach all people with respect, humility, confidence and energy. We will confront issues, not people. When we have differences, we will confront them in a direct way to resolve the issues that drive those differences.
My approach to leadership is to empower the team so that they:
1) Feel empowered in the management process.
2) Will be excited about their volunteer activity.
3) Learn project management in a community.
4) Serve as spokespersons and ambassadors.
Alisha Walter
High quality Senior Project Manager Professional at Digital Data Voice. I’m results oriented, goal-driven, with an excellent time management aptitude to effectively manage in a face-paced environment to achieve success in the growing business. I excel within a matrix project structure and across organizational boundaries and teams. I effectively establish trust, respect, and camaraderie with clients and colleagues resulting in improved team relations and subsequent project performance.
As Chair of Volunteer Services, I’ve appreciated the opportunity to support and advance other aspiring project managers. I have been active in the monthly Operations meetings, working with the Board on new volunteer onboarding initiatives, and taking a strong focus establishing the Volunteer Services team. I’m ready to take my PMI engagement to the next level by joining the Board as Director at Large.
My vision is to continue to build the PMI-MN organization. I have the strong ability to effectively interact, communicate, and present ideas clearly and concisely and work effectively with multiple disciplines in a diverse, global workforce. I think my experience will be beneficial to the PMI Board and I would appreciate the opportunity to strategize, knowledge transfer, and grow our PMI-MN Chapter.
My approach to leadership is to walk side-by-side my colleagues. To that point, to be an effective leader, you have to be an excellent follower.
