• Plans to Establish Ecuador Chapter Advance;
  PMI Members There Already Benefit from Programs
• Important Tax Filing Information for U.S.-Based Component Officers
• Use Components Central to Display Information at EMEA Congress

• It’s Not Too Late to Join Your Peers in St Julians, Malta!

• PMI Launches New Credential for Project Schedulers

On 27 March, PMI Component Mentor Enrique Cappella, MSc, PMP, visited Ecuador, where a steering team of volunteers are finalizing a multi-year business plan to form a new PMI chapter. Ecuadorian PMI members continue to meet, plan and learn new project management skills as the plan moves forward.  

Thanks to the high level of interest in the profession and PMI, volunteer leaders have been able to offer membership meetings for networking purposes and to organize professional development seminars.

On 28 March, approximately 50 PMI members and non-members attended the Leadership in Project Management seminar in Quito. Attendees heard Enrique Ledesma, PMP, speak on critical factors to success. Mr. Cappella, who presented on leadership as well as PMI in Latin America, said that the event created a lot of interest in PMI.

The event served as an opportunity to survey participants on what values they expect from a PMI chapter. This feedback is critical to the future planning and growth of the chapter.

The annual tax filing deadline with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is Thursday, 15 May 2008. Please review the information found on the Component Leadership Online Community > Resources-Finance Officers section to ensure your component meets the IRS guidelines.

United States-based PMI component officers are reminded that copies of your component's tax filings must be sent to PMI for inclusion in components' records and can be sent to the attention of PMI Component Relations Coordinator Anne Jenemann.

Every U.S.-based component should file a 2007 tax filing (either e-Postcard 990 N, a 990-EZ or a 990) with the Internal Revenue Service by 15 May.

A copy of that tax filing must be held on record with the component’s files at PMI Global Operations Center as soon as possible after the 15 May reporting deadline.

This information is required for each component’s annual charter renewal. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Anne Jenemann.

Tell us all about your component's activities and programs through Components Central, part of PMI^® Global Congress 2008—EMEA, 16-18 May in St. Julians, Malta. Located in the congress exhibit hall, Components Central will display information from participating chartered components.

To participate, simply submit completed current information about your component by using the Microsoft^® Word flyer template posted on Component Leadership Online Community > Current News.

Your information and materials must be submitted via the template so that PMI can mount a uniform, attractive and high-quality display. One flyer per component, please!

Deadline for submitting the completed template is today. Please send to PMI Leadership Institute Associate Brianne Bangma.

Gui Ponce de Leon, PMP, president, PMI College of Scheduling

This week, more than 250 professional schedulers registered and attended the Fifth Annual PMI College of Scheduling Conference in Chicago, Illinois, USA.  PMI, partnering with the College of Scheduling, officially launched the new PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)^SM credential at the event.

PMI President and CEO Gregory Balestrero was the keynote speaker and presented on the importance of scheduling. Vice President of Product Management Brian Weiss then announced the details of the new credential and its importance to practitioners at the annual business meeting and lunch on opening day.

PMI-SP acknowledges individuals who strengthen and support project teams by providing expertise in the specialized area of scheduling.

PMI exhibited and had staff available to answer questions about the PMI-SP credential, assist schedulers through the application process and answer general PMI questions.

To be eligible for PMI-SP, you must have both knowledge of and experience in developing and maintaining the project schedule. You must meet educational and experience requirements, and pass a multiple-choice exam to earn the credential. You need not hold any other PMI credential to apply.

Find out more on the PMI-SP eligibility requirements, examination and credential fees. 

Register on-site at no additional cost to join your colleagues at the 2008 EMEA Leadership Institute Meeting, 16–18 May, at the Hilton Malta Hotel.

You will have opportunities to participate in rewarding educational sessions and attend networking events with members of the PMI Board of Directors, PMI staff and fellow colleagues.

Bring a completed registration form to make your registration experience fast and easy. The form and additional information are available on the meeting website.

Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. Malta time on Friday, 16 May in the Spinola Lobby of the Hilton Malta. If you have questions, please contact Leadership Institute Administrator Gil Marder.

Friday Facts is a weekly report on PMI events and opportunities. Information contained herein may be reprinted in PMI component newsletters.

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