From the Co-publisher's Desk— Judy Umlas Dear Friends and Colleagues, There is no good or “right way” to say good bye, even when it is for good reasons. I have been with allPM.com for seven years, since IIL acquired the fledgling PM portal known then and still known now as “the project manager’s home page.” I have seen it grow, I have seen members tentatively submit a piece for possible inclusion in the newsletter and become regular contributors. I have had interactions with members that were human, humane, precious and irreplaceable. I always felt that I was “talking” to real people with real problems and challenges, and real joys and accomplishments. I celebrated new jobs you got through allPM.com, new resources you were able to obtain by showing your managers articles in the newsletter. I received hundreds of original PM Poems over the years that started with my stating that I didn’t think project managers liked poetry (how “dared” I make this statement, you said, and rose to the challenge of making me wrong!). One of you included my elderly, sick parents in a prayer circle after I shared their circumstances with you, and sent me a card that all of the participants in your group had signed. Another of you sent me a magnificent bouquet of flowers when I complained that I didn’t get enough feedback on a newsletter, since feedback was always my lifeline to you and the reason I kept going. One of you wrote that when you stood on your balcony one evening in another part of the world, you were moved to know that I was sharing the same sky, even though yours was night time and mine was day time. How can I thank you enough for your wonderful and thoughtful ideas, responses, your continuous quest for excellence and above all, your humanity? I can’t do it in a way that will truly satisfy me. So instead, I will simply acknowledge you, our members, for being who you are and for making the difference in the world that you do. I will also say that my journey with my little book, The Power of Acknowledgment, has taken me on a path that was unpredictable when I first wrote it, and that brings about amazing results on a daily basis. I have come to know that people in every industry, in every phase of life, in every country are hungry for this message and that my mission of repairing the world, one person at a time, using this tool – which scared me to proclaim two years ago -- is one for which the world is absolutely ready. I know I leave you in the best of hands – Frank P. Saladis, PMP will now take on the title and responsibility of Publisher from that of Co-Publisher which he has shared with me for so many years. And there is no one better, in my estimation, to wear that crown. Frank has done so much for this profession, in so many different ways. His creation of International Project Management Day (IPMDay), for example, which celebrates “the power of the profession,” has brought great visibility and, yes, acknowledgment to a profession that many have taken for granted. Each year the celebration grows more substantial and more widespread. PMI Chapters and companies around the world are already planning their IPMDay activities for November 5, 2009. Frank’s creativity is legendary and you will now see him in full action in his new publishing role. Sarah Rogers and Sid Lama will continue as loyal team members, with participation from our next generation team starting with the addition of Laurie Juliano. Dr. Harold Kerzner has always been a wonderful contributor to allPM.com since its infancy, and now in its “teenage” years, I’m sure Dr. Kerzner will still enjoy playing a key role. I know the new team will carry on all that is good and will keep adding that which is great to an incredible resource for project managers. As I pursue the opportunities that my little book has created, I will think of you. After all, you are in the book and I tell stories about you often in my training sessions and workshops! Some of the new opportunities I will be engaged in include being a regular blogger about the power of acknowledgment on PMI’s Voices on Project Management Blog starting later this month. I am also leading three-hour live, interactive virtual workshops on acknowledgment on a regular basis, I am traveling wherever the wind blows me, to speak, about this incredible topic, and on and on and on…. So I have been asked to focus more on these kinds of opportunities and to build a real business unit from them. This, as you can well imagine, is bittersweet for me. I will miss “seeing” and being with you on a regular basis, and I welcome the exciting new challenges ahead. For years now, I have ended my letters with the phrase, “Until the next time…” which for me has had the sense of “See you next month.” When I was looking at all the ways to say good bye in other languages and cultures, since you come from so many different ones, I really liked this one from the Native American Apache tribe: “Ka dish day,” which translates to, “Until we meet again…” This good bye fits well with my plans to return from time to time, but not on a schedule, with an article that I think you will value and enjoy. And as always, and maybe even more now as I say my official good bye, I SHOUT at the top of my voice that I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Please stay in touch! My ongoing email address is: judy.umlas@iil.com. So “Ka dish day”…Until we meet again… Judy Umlas Author and Facilitator, The Power of Acknowledgment (www.iil.com/poa)