A Journey of Projects, People, and (Occasional) Christmas Eve Phone Calls

As PM Solutions marks its 30th anniversary, I’ve been reflecting on my own 20+ years with the company. It’s been quite the ride. A ride that has taken me through more roles than I can list without sounding like I’m applying for a new position!

I’ve held roles in administration, project controls, consulting, leadership, and business development. If there’s a PM Solutions org chart from the last two decades, my name probably appears in more boxes than I care to admit. Some days I felt like the company’s utility infielder, ready to play any position needed.

Over those years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting clients through major transformation projects across a wide range of industries: utilities, insurance, finance, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology manufacturing, and consumer products. I’ve helped organizations navigate everything from complex system implementations to large-scale process overhauls. And yes, there were moments when “transformation” felt more like “organized chaos with a Gantt chart.”

The Real Project Management Truth (with a smile)

If you’ve ever worked in project management, you know the industry has its universal truths. Like how every project starts with unlimited enthusiasm and a perfect plan. That is ... until reality shows up. Or how stakeholders can simultaneously say “this is our top priority” while also treating it like priority #47.

Project management is the only field where you can facilitate a two-hour meeting about alignment, walk out feeling productive, and then realize the only thing everyone truly aligned on was that they all wanted coffee. Yet somehow, through strong facilitation, clear communication, and the occasional well-timed joke, great things still get delivered.

The Christmas Eve Contract

Perhaps one of my most memorable moments came when a client called me on Christmas Eve to finalize a contract for a key M&A integration program. There I was, surrounded by wrapping paper and holiday lights, reviewing scope documents and negotiating timelines. Nothing says “dedication to client success” quite like closing out deliverables while the rest of the world is baking cookies.

That call wasn’t an inconvenience—it was a powerful reminder of the trust we’d built together. When clients know you’ll show up (even on December 24th), it changes everything.

The Heart of It All: Relationships

Throughout my time at PM Solutions, I’ve worked with incredible colleagues who bring expertise, creativity, and resilience to every engagement. I’ve also had the honor of partnering with clients across multiple companies and collaborating with talented consultants who deliver value again and again.

More than anything else, these 20+ years have taught me that the real success isn’t just the projects we deliver — it’s the people we get to work with and the relationships we build along the way.

Relationships grounded in trust, hard work, and shared goals are what make the tough projects manageable and the victories truly meaningful. It’s the late-night problem-solving sessions, the honest conversations, the shared celebrations, and even the occasional Christmas Eve phone calls that turn clients into long-term partners and co-workers into friends.

At the end of the day, projects end, technologies evolve, and organizations change. But the relationships you build, both with colleagues and clients, last far beyond any single statement of work.

Here’s to the next 30 years at PM Solutions. May we continue delivering great projects while building even stronger connections along the way.

And if you need me on a future Christmas Eve… I’ll probably still pick up the phone.