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The Project Management Podcast ( https://www.project-management-podcast.com) brings project management to beginners and experts. They interview project managers from around the world to learn what makes them successful so that you can apply their lessons to your own projects and copy their success. Leading projects isn't easy -- their advice helps! At this chapter meeting the host of the podcast and president of PM PrepCast, Cornelius Fichtner, will cover everything you need to know about PMI PDUs including how to earn them, how to document them and how to use them at the time you need to renew your PMP certification. This is applicable to all certifications and will be an interactive presentation as well as a live Q&A!

 

Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, CSM, PMI-OC Fellow

Founder and President, PM PrepCast, Host of The Project Management Podcast

Cornelius is involved in all aspects of the company. As President and Founder, he defines the strategic direction and works with trainers and coaches to design and develop new products. You probably know him best from his podcasts: he records and narrates lessons for our students.

For Cornelius, no day is like the previous one. He answers student questions in our forums and on email, develops sample exam questions and even edits webpages if needed. During the development of our new products, websites and services he always demands and expects that what we create is beyond reproach. It simply has to be 100% correct but at the same time provide an "edutainment" factor so that students and customers enjoy learning and using our products.

Cornelius came to project management by accident. He started out as a software developer but quickly realized that he preferred talking to people to writing code. He moved into what was then called "organizational planning" and even became certified in the field. It took him about 3-4 years to make the switch and completely leave software development all the while leading more and more complex and important projects.

Cornelius has been working as a Project Manager in his native Switzerland, in Germany and in the USA since 1990 and received his Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential in April 2004. He has led projects for a management consulting company, a national retailer, an internet startup company, and for one of the oldest financial service providers in the USA.

Cornelius says: “I think the main way I help customers pass their exams is by letting my enthusiasm for project management shine through in our training lessons. Students often comment how I'm able to make a dry subject like PM theory come alive. I'm able to motivate, excite and inspire them on this "dry" subject, and so they keep going on the road to passing their exam. I'm able to put myself into the shoes of our students and see our products from their perspective. This enables me to create training material that has the customer at heart and will help them to not only prepare for and pass their exams but also helps them become better project managers. I'm the voice and face of pretty much all our training lessons. However, I definitely have a face for radio!”

Cornelius holds PMP and CSM credentials. He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona, USA with his wife and their four computers. He is a member of the American Wine Society Tucson Chapter. He enjoys juggling and says that he is excellent with 3 balls, OK with 4, but can only keep 5 balls in the air for a couple of seconds.