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Featured Member – Stephen Rodriquez

Last week (11/3) was International Project Management Day, so we thought we would reach out to one of our past Central Iowa Chapter Board Members to talk about Project Management.

 

{PMI-CIC} Tell us about project management in your current role.

{Stephen} "I just recently started a new role in May of 2020 as an IT Project Manager for the Iowa Department of Revenue. My main focus are projects related to legislative changes. As with many positions there are a few hats to wear. There is a business analyst flavor to my role along with implementing projects using a variety of project management methodologies.

{PMI-CIC} What kind of historical experience do you have in project management

{Stephen} "I have been involved with project management for a long time. I am PMP® certified and have been a member of the Project Management Institute since 2010. In addition to IT, I have also been the project manager for construction, telecommunications and infrastructure projects. I have held several positions on the Board for the Central Iowa Chapter of PMI and have taught the PMP® Exam prep course."

{PMI-CIC} Tell us more about how you been involved with our chapter over the years?

{Stephen} “I joined the Chapter and started going to the in-person Chapter meetings. It was a great way to both learn and network. Members of PMI-CIC are willing to help others. If a project was going sideways there was usually someone at the meetings that would have a suggestion on how to get it back on track. As a Board member I was able to go to conferences that include people from all over the world. The international contacts I made at these events are just as willing to reach out for advice or to provide insight on project management changes in their area. Bringing that global project management perspective back to Central Iowa is the biggest benefit of the PMI-CIC.”

{PMI-CIC} What is one thing you're excited about in the field of project management?

{Stephen} "Change – the project management field is not a one-time learning event. It is ever changing with new or modified methodologies, tools and techniques, and, of course, people. If you are not learning something new you are falling behind."

{PMI-CIC} Tell us 3 random facts about you!

{Stephen}

1. "I was a paramedic. It taught me the importance of documentation."
2. "I was a short order cook. It taught me that stakeholders have some unusual requests."
3. "I delivered newspapers when I was younger. It taught me that on-time is not easy, it has to be planned."

{PMI-CIC} What is your greatest project accomplishment to-date?

{Stephen} “I would say that the most rewarding project I worked on was a project that consisted of site development, engineering, and optimization of a statewide land mobile radio system with 95 percent mobile coverage throughout the State of Iowa. This project provided a way for public safety entities to communicate with each other.”

{PMI-CIC} Anything you would like to leave us with on International Project Management Day:

{Stephen} "Like most things in life you cannot do it on your own. If you are a seasoned project management professional, I would encourage you to seek a board position. If you are new to project management, I would encourage you to come along side one of the board positions and offer assistance.”

Thank you, Stephen, for sharing your experience. In 2023, the PMI-CIC Board is planning on ‘getting back to the new normal’ with in person meetings and networking events. We do want you to be a part of that experience. If you have volunteer time to share, please reach out to us by filling in our volunteer form (https://pmi-centraliowa.org/volunteer-form). Even if you have done this in the past, please fill in your current information. If you do not have volunteer time, we hope you will be able to make it to one of our events. More details will be provided before the end of the calendar year.