Lindner to host region’s industry-leading project management conference

Project Management Institute of Southwest Ohio selects UC to 'Redefine Project Success'

The Carl H. Lindner College of Business will open its doors to the Project Management Institute (PMI) of Southwest Ohio and Dayton/Miami Valley chapters for the organization’s 2023 Summit on Nov. 18.

Approximately 200 project management professionals are expected to attend the summit, which will offer keynote and breakout presentations focused on the theme of “Redefining Project Success.”

Historically, this annual event has attracted project management professionals “dedicated to transforming big ideas into reality,” representing industries from government services to retail and consumer packaged goods, to health care and manufacturing. It also fulfills professional development units (PDUs) for attendees, with this year’s summit totaling 14 PDUs.

“Our objective is to provide knowledge and a forum for our members to connect,” said Frank Bernhardt, PhD, PMI Southwest Ohio chapter vice president and Project Management Office director at Procter & Gamble.

Bernhardt added that modern project managers find themselves in challenging work environments where many traditional models from the field just don’t apply anymore. The institute recently updated foundational training materials that are used nationally, such as the PMI Talent Triangle, to reflect the ideal skills project professionals must have — business acumen, power skills and ways of working. 

Lindner is an ideal partner and venue for the region’s PMI chapter and annual summit, as there are so many foundational competencies in the field of project management that are necessary in solving real-world problems.

Chanda Monroe-Williams Executive director of urban impact, project learning and partnerships and adjunct professor of OBAIS

In addition to two keynote presentations, summit attendees will have 12 breakout sessions to choose from that parallel the institute’s talent development priorities: “Ways of Working,” “Agile versus Traditional PM” and “People, Process, Technology.” 

“In our call for speakers, we wanted to push the envelope,” said Bernhardt. “We looked specifically for people that have practice using PM methodologies, yet express new ideas." 

Some of those innovative speakers include Lindner faculty and thought leaders. Executive Director of Urban Impact, Project Learning and Partnerships and Adjunct Professor of Operations, Business Analytics and Information Systems (OBAIS) Chanda Monroe-Williams and Director of the Operations and Industrial Management Programs and OBAIS Assistant Professor Steven Jones are both presenting breakout sessions. Lindner Dean and Professor of Management Marianne Lewis, PhD, is delivering the opening keynote, applying her research expertise on organizational paradox to the field of project management. 

“At Lindner, we empower business problem solving not just in the classroom but through experiential learning opportunities like co-op, projects and capstones and offer avenues of professional development,” said Monroe-Williams, who facilitated the partnership between Lindner and PMI Southwest Ohio. “PMI is the global governing body for project managers at all stages of their career. Lindner is an ideal venue and partner for the region’s PMI chapter and annual summit, as there are so many foundational competencies in the field of project management that are necessary in solving real-world problems.” 

View the listing of speakers below. University and high school students are welcome to attend the summit for the reduced price of $30. Companies sending five or more team members also save 15% on tickets. There is also a hybrid option for attendees who wish to join remotely. Those interested in attending can register up until the day of the event. In addition to the Lindner College of Business, PMI Summit sponsors include technical staffing and recruiting company Qual IT Resources. 

PMI SWO 2023 Summit: “Redefining Project Success” Speaker Lineup

“Working and Thriving through the Project Management Tensions” 

woman wearing pink blazer and white dress shirt sitting and smiling in a yellow chair with a blue background

Marianne Lewis, PhD

Marianne W. Lewis, PhD, Dean and Professor of Management, Lindner College of Business 

Lewis will discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by project management tensions: grappling with today’s fires versus tomorrow’s possibilities; building your team and culture versus meeting targets and efficiencies; meeting competing project demands of quality, speed and costs. Leveraging her extensive research and recent book “Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems,” she will share the benefits and tools of both/and thinking (contrasted with traditional either/or thinking). Further, Lewis will provide examples from her work with varied organizations and leaders to bring the concepts and tools to life. 

  • “Navigating Your Project to Project Quest,” presented by AnnMarie Pursel, Great American Insurance Group. 
  • “Mixing It Up: How Program and Product Management Combine to Create a Winning Recipe,” by Sue Rowland, The Kroger Co. 
  • “ERP Implementation Project Failures, Lessons Learned & Litigation — Confessions of an ERP Expert Witness,” by Stephen Ditty, Ditty Consulting. 
  • “Delivering Value with LEAN Process Improvement,” by Steven Jones, Assistant Professor of OBAIS, Lindner College of Business. 
  • “Agile Project Leadership Values: Responsibility, Respect, and Relationship,” presented by Timothy Kloppenborg, Kloppenborg and Associates. 
  • “Agile 201,” by Jennifer Cline, iPipeline. 
  • “How to Leverage AI to Boost Your Productivity and Creativity in the Workplace,” by Michael Lively, Great American Insurance Group. 
  • “Adventures in applying an Agile Mindset,” by Robert Lee Scott, Keyfactor. 
  • “Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Delivering Value through Project Recovery,” presented by Paul Baumgartner, GE Aerospace. 
  • “Generation whY: Developing a Culture of Disruptive and Strategic Thinkers to Drive Impact in Our Communities,” by Chanda Monroe-Williams, Executive Director of Urban Impact, Project Learning and Partnerships and Adjunct OBAIS Professor, Lindner College of Business. 
  • “The Organizational Change Management Workstream,” by Dave Davis, Cincinnati Children's Hospital. 
  • “The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact on Project Management: A Destructive or Transformative Agent,” by Kwame Amoah, Assistant Professor-Educator at University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 

“Software Security: The Critical Role of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)” 

Dave Hatter, Intrust IT 

Our increasingly digital society relies on software and the recent rise in software supply chain attacks and ongoing software vulnerabilities has forced software security to the forefront of public attention. As software grows ever more complex and inter-connected, it becomes more difficult to ensure that it is free of vulnerabilities and hardened against attacks. One approach to addressing this challenge is the use of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), a comprehensive list of components that make up a piece of software. This presentation will explain what SBOM is, how it works and why it is essential for identifying and managing vulnerabilities. It will also examine the benefits of using SBOM, including improved transparency and accountability, better risk management and enhanced cybersecurity posture, and recommendations for organizations to implement SBOM in their software development and procurement processes. 

Featured image at top: Lindner Hall exterior. Photo/Lindner Marketing Communications

Empower business problem solving at your organization

The Lindner College of Business sits at the intersection of industry and academia. Through centers and institutes that offer in-house expertise and or ways of applying cutting-edge research, to executive education programs that help business professionals advance their career at every level, to programming that enables professional development and enriching an organization’s talent pipeline, we can help you transform your organization. Explore what’s possible by contacting Chuck Sox, PhD, associate dean of impact and partnerships. 

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