A PMI member since 1986, Mr. Pells founded and led the PMI Eastern Idaho Chapter in 1987. He was President of the PMI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter from 1990 to 1992 and a founding member of the PMI Austin, Fort Worth and San Antonio Chapters. He was founder and Chair of PMI's first Specific Interest Group (SIG), the Project Earth SIG, in 1994. From 1995 through 1997 he served on the PMI Board of Directors as Vice President of Public Relations and was PMI's liaison to the Russian and Ukrainian project management associations. He initiated the first Global Project Management Forum in 1995 and served as its chair through 1999. He initiated and chaired the American Project Management Forums during 1996 through 1998 and received the PMI Linn Stuckenbruck Person of the Year Award in 1998.