The history of awards in PMI goes back to 1974 when the Honorary Life Member of PMI was initiated with the recognition of Major General John G. Albert, U.S. Air Force. In 1976, the Person of the Year Award was initiated, in 1980 the PMI Distinguished Contribution Award, and in 1982, the PMI Fellow Award. In this article on the history of PMI, we review these awards and their recipients.
One of the basic values of PMI is belief in the effectiveness of an organization that depends on volunteers to perform the bulk of the work of the society. The recognition of the following individuals gives credence to that belief. The individuals mentioned below gave of their time, energy and wisdom to create, sustain and grow PMI to the organization it is today. You have had the opportunity to read comments by several of them already this year and will hear from others before this 25th year is concluded. Consider their contributions and let them be a challenge to you to be involved in your profession so that it may serve all project managers today and tomorrow.
To minimize redundancy, those who have been recognized as PMI Fellows are presented first, indicating all other awards they have received in the process. That is followed in a similar manner by others who have received Honorary Life Member, Person of the Year, and Distinguished Contribution Awards.
PMI Fellow- PMI's highest and most prestigious award. Its purpose is “to recognize and honor those PMI members who have, for ten years or more, made sustained and outstanding contributions to the Project Management Institute while at the same time promoting professionalism in the field of project management and/or developing the state-of-the-art of project management.”
1982
Dr. John W. Fondahl, Stanford University, Honorary Life Member (1981)
Eric Jenett, Brown&Root, Inc., PMI Founder, Special Certificate of Merit (1975), Honorary Life Member (1984)
Matthew H. Parry, Lummus Canada, Inc., Honorary Life Member (1979)
James R. Snyder, SmithKline & Beckman, Honorary Life Member (1978), Person of the Year (1978)
1983
Dr. J. Gordon Davis, Davis International, Inc., PMI Founder, Person of the Year (1980), Distinguished Contribution (1990)
David Morton, Cadillac Fairview Urban Development Inc., Person of the Year (1981)
Dr. John R. Adams, Western Carolina University, Honorary Life Member (1982)
Robert B. Gillis, Canadian Pacific, Ltd.
1984
Regula A. Brunies, Revay & Associates, Ltd., Person of the Year (1982)
1986
Earl W. Feight, CIGNA Corporation, Honorary Life Member (1985)
Kenneth O. Hartley, Morrison-Knudsen Engineers, Inc., Person of the Year (1985)
Dr. Linn C. Stuckenbruck (deceased), University of Southern California, Distinguished Contribution (1980)
Robert G. Staples, Consultant
1987
Dr. David L Cleland, University of Pittsburgh, Distinguished Contribution (1983), Distinguished Contribution (1993)
Henry E. Padgham, CH2M Hill
1988
Brian Fletcher, Stelco Inc., Person of the Year (1990), Distinguished Contribution (1983)
1989
Russell D. Archibald, Consultant, PMI Founder
Dr. Lewis R. Ireland, GTE Telecom, Person of the Year (1984), Distinguished Contribution (1985), Distinguished Contribution (1982)
Charles Y. Lopinsky, Bechtel Power Corporation, Distinguished Contribution (1982)
James O'Brien, O'Brien-Kreitzberg & Associates, Distinguished Contribution (1983)
R. Max Wideman, Acres Intl, Ltd., Distinguished Contribution (1985)
1990
Dr. Martin Dean Martin (deceased), Western Carolina University, Distinguished Contribution (1985)
1991
Douglas S. Egan, Jr., AMTRAK, Person of the Year (1987)
Dr. Francis M. Webster, Jr., Western Carolina University, Person of the Year (1988), Distinguished Contribution (1987)
1992
J. D. “Kaay” Koch, Engineering Management Service Ltd., Johannesburg, South Africa
Honorary Life Member- This award was discontinued in 1986 after having been awarded to nine recipients for distinguished contributions to PMI.
1974
Major General John G. Albert, Defense Systems Management College
1975
Gerald A. Williams, Department of Public Works, Canada
1976
Steve V. White, Bechtel Investments Inc.
1983
William H. Robinson, Department of Public Works, Canada
Person of the Year- “To recognize and honor outstanding contributions to the development and implementation of the objectives of the Project Management Institute.”
1976
Dr. David C. Murphy, Boston College
1979
lvars Avots, Arthur D. Little, Inc.
1983
Carl Strohl, Salt River Project
PMI Distinguished Contribution Award – “To recognize and honor a particularly significant achievement or sustained performance by an individual which contributes to the advancement of project management and/or the Project Management Institute. The contribution may be academic in nature, such as the publication of an outstanding book, or of a business nature, such as the completion of an extremely complex project. A contribution to the Institute may include a successfully managed Annual Symposium or another successfully completed PMI project.”
1982
Albert A. Badger, Jr., Stone& Webster Engineering Corporation
1983
Dr. Desmond L. Cook, Ohio State University
Trent O. Meacham, Salt River Project
1984
Warren E. Allen, Warren Allen & Associates
Dr. Terry L. Kinnear, Western Carolina University
Kenneth J. Romano, Bechtel Power Corporation
Allan J. Smith, Jr., Metropolitan Atlanta Transit Authority
Walter Wawruck, Consultant
1985
Janet R. Steelman, McNeil Pharmaceutical
1986
Paul C. Dinsmore, ENGEVIX S.A. (Brazil)
Brian R. McConachy, Bramcom Engineering Ltd.
Boyd C. Paulson, Jr., Stanford University
Dr. Mark A. Smith, University of Maryland
James H. Witter, Gates Rubber Company
1987
Boyd Henderson, DOMTAR, Inc.
Frank Jenes, CH2M Hill
Vim Kochar, VIMAL Group
Christine A. Trautwein, Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical
1988
Dr. Roger Glaser, San Diego Gas& Electric Company
Dr. Stephen D. Owens, Western Carolina University
1989
Randall L. Bakel, Eastman Kodak Co.
Harvey A. Levine, The Project Knowledge Group
Patrice L. Murphy, Bristol-Myers Co.
Ozro West, West Engineers and Associates, Inc.
1990
A.C. “Fred” Baker, Davis International, Inc.
Don Barrie, C M Constants, Inc.
Ashok “A.K.” Kothari, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Quade and Douglas Inc.
Neville Long, Bechtel International Limited
1991
Richard W. Kimball, Contraves, Inc.
Ronald P.C. Wailer,.Johnson Controls, inc.
Rushton M. Williamson, Jr., Defense Information Systems Agency
1993
Frederick A. Arnold, SE Technologies, Inc.
Dr. J. Davidson Frame, Jr., George Washington University
Elvin D. Isgrig, North Dakota State University ❑