Walter Bowman is Executive Director (Emeritus) and Co-founder of PMCentersUSA. Under his technical direction and the operations and marketing direction of Mark Balish, President of PMCentersUSA, the organization has grown from its initial offering of one course in 1997, to an entire track of courses that leads to a Master’s Certificate in Project Management. This certificate program is offered in conjunction with major universities including the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Houston-Clear Lake as well as in a live, virtual instructor-led format.
In addition to its wide range of offerings of preparatory courses for certifications from the International Institute of Business Analysis® and the Project Management Institute (PMI)®, PMCentersUSA also provides advanced and custom courses in project management, business analysis, agile and interpersonal skills, and full consulting and mentoring services in the area of project management, business analysis and agile implementation and solutions. In 2006, Walter accepted the Professional Development Provider of the Year award bestowed on PMCentersUSA by PMI® to recognize and honor the top provider out of more than 1,100 competing organizations that demonstrated exceptional skills in the delivery of a professional development program in project management.
Walter was named a PMI® Fellow in 2004, The PMI® Fellow Award is the PMI® highest and most prestigious award and is presented to an individual who has made sustained and significant contributions to PMI® and the project management profession for more than a decade. Walter has more than 40 years of practical experience in project and executive management of high technology and business projects in industry and academia. His experience spans managing projects including software system development and implementation, aerospace projects for NASA such as placing cameras on the moon, building and modifying nuclear power plants, process control system design and construction, engineering services, and development, administration and delivery of educational programs for both academic credit and professional development. He has practiced and taught extensively in all areas of project management, from small to large projects as well as programs with organizations ranging from start-up companies to major corporations.
An active member of PMI®, Walter is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)® (holding certification number 8) and a founder, past President, and former Director of Professional Development for the Pittsburgh Chapter of PMI®. Internationally, Walter helped develop the original 1987 PMI® A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide), and has served as Co-Chair of PMI®'s Certification Committee, Chair of the Council of Chapter Presidents, Vice-President of Technical Activities, a member of PMI®'s Board Executive Committee and Board of Directors, and President of the PMI® Educational Foundation. He also served as a member of the PMI® Nominating and Nomination and Election Review Committees in 2003 and as Chair of the PMI® Nominating Committee in 2004. From 2007 through 2012, Walter served as an ANSI subject matter expert representing the interests of the United States, and Secretary of the ISO Working Group for the Development of Project Management Processes for ISO 21500, the first international standard for project management, published by the International Standardization Organization (ISO) in September 2012.
He received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, his Master of Science in Business Administration from Robert Morris University, and completed post-graduate work in Engineering Management at the University of Pittsburgh.