December 2021 PMI-MC Chapter Dinner Meeting

PMI-Montgomery County MD Chapter December 2021 Monthly Evening Event

Wednesday,  December 1st 2021

Presenter: Mr. Jake Lefman (PMP, Vice President of Energy Market for Accuity International for over 10 years)

Presenter Bio: Jake Lefman is a Vice President, Energy Markets at Accuity International. He is responsible for business development and management of the energy business. Most of his effort is focused on the US Department of Energy major projects as well as commercial clients. Accuity International has several business units working with clients all over the world. The major divisions include Advanced Medical Solutions, Global Mission Solutions and Advanced Technology Solutions: they are solving a diverse set of problems – including rapid pandemic response, security for ever changing international missions, workforce health and safety and cloud-based technology to manage enterprise-wide
projects. Prior employment: Prior to his current job, Jake was an executive at several major companies
including:
• Manager of Business and Finance at Southern California Edison’s San Onofre
Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) where he managed finance for all nuclear plant activities as well as supporting operations oversight activities.
• Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton providing strategies and consultation for major companies planning new generating plants, developing acquisition strategies, international major projects, and supporting the Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Department of Homeland Security.
• Vice President and Division Manager at SAIC at several locations in the US and global locations. He worked all over the world managing major projects and programs including the Greek Olympics, Royal Dutch Shell digital oil field deployment, oversight of new LNG plants in Nigeria, and consultation on nuclear plant builds and modifications in Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
• Jake also worked at several major companies involved in nuclear plant design,
engineering, and construction oversight, nuclear quality assurance, nuclear spent fuel management, and alternative energy strategies.

Jake has a BS in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an MBA. He previously served on the PMI Montgomery County Maryland board as VP Programs.

Presentation Abstract:  Wonder how the Covid-19 Pandemic changed the way International Projects were managed stateside…. have no fear… Mr. Jake Lefman is here!

This presentation will provide an insight into the managing international projects. The presentation will include some of the concepts included in the PMBOK: Project planning including stakeholder development and engagement, execution, monitoring, reporting, and closeout and the various issues associated with these elements in all of the projects. The presentation includes personal experiences in working in several countries including Nigeria, Venezuela, Colombia, Netherlands, and Japan. The presenter will discuss lessons learned from executing these projects, approach to working in a dangerous environment, and developing controls to ensure fidelity of projects and continuity of operations in a rapidly changing social and economic environment. The audience will have a chance to ask questions and engage the presenter on what could have been done differently and apply some of their experience to the various projects. At the end the audience should have gained an understanding on different approach and cultures in project planning and execution, lessons learned, and the need to define acceptance criteria in order to close out a project and receive payment.

Mr. Lefman will give personal perspectives from his roles in these projects and some personal anecdotes from working in many countries and on many types of projects.