Degrees
I am currently pursuing a PhD in Management specializing in Project Management with Walden University. I will be completing the few remaining classes in the curriculum during 2021 and will begin my dissertation.
I hold a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix with a specialization in E-Business. While I had taken a couple of courses here and there, I began my studies in earnest in May, 2004, and completed my degree in December, 2005 with a GPA of 3.93. 
The curriculum consisted of 45 credits in law, economics, accounting, finance, statistics, operations and project management, marketing, and capped by three consecutive, personalized courses in E-Business (strategy, technology, and development).
I also hold a Master of Information Technology from Capella University specializing in project management. The degree was to have been a PhD but I withdrew from that program following my wife's passing and accepted this degree in lieu of completing those studies. The degree was completed March 31, 2019 with a GPA of 3.588.
My undergraduate degree was largely completed while I was serving on active duty in the United States Navy through the Regents External Degree Program of the University of the State of New York through what was then known as the Navy Campus for Achievement. My Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology was conferred in June, 1992. Since many of the courses were passed through pass/fail examinations administered overseas no GPA is applicable.Certifications
In recognition of my years of leading major IT projects both within the federal government and the private sector, training which includes the following Project Mangement Institute PMP and PMI-RMP certifications, and education which includes a MBA in E-Business and my current studies leading to a PhD in Information Technology specializing in Project Management, I have been recognized by the Federal Acquisition Institute with certification as a Program and Project Manager, Level III (Expert). This certification allows me to be designated as the project manager of record for IT investment projects of any scale across the entire Federal government.
Foremost among my professional certifications is my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. The PMP® credential is the project management profession’s most recognized and respected global credential. To obtain a PMP credential, an individual must satisfy education and experience requirements, agree to adhere to a professional code of conduct and pass the PMP examination.The PMP Certification Program supports the global community of project management practitioners and is designed to objectively assess and measure professional knowledge. PMI’s PMP credential offers individuals a wide range of important benefits. The PMP designation following one’s name demonstrates to employers and other stakeholders that an individual possesses a solid foundation of experience and education in project management.
In addition to my PMP certification, I have also achieved certification as a Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP), becoming one of less than 1,200 certification holders worldwide.The PMI Certification Program is the first professional certification program of its kind to receive the ISO 9001 certification, a globally recognized mark of a quality management system. Additional information about the certification can be found on the PMI web site at http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/Obtaining-Credential.aspx#pmp
My Microsoft Certified IT Professional in Enterprise Project Management certification is a bridge between PMI's focus on the processes, practice, and methodology of project management and the technology supporting their implementation in real businesses. The certification covers three distinct areas of expertise (each of which, in and of itself is a certification): Project Professional 2007, Project Server 2007, and Enterprise Project Management which includes Project Portfolio Server 2007, Microsoft's server supporting Project Portfolio Management. Additional information on this certification can be found on the Microsoft web site.
Along with that certification, I am also a Microsoft Certified Business Management Solutions Professional for their Dynamics CRM 4.0 server. This too is a capstone certification comprised of several components including SQL Server (Microsoft's relational database server), installation and configuration, applications, and customization of their Dynamics Customer Relationship Management Server version 4.0. Additional information on this certification can be found on the Microsoft web site.Certifications
While certainly anything but a testament to true professional achievement, certifications do at least serve the purpose of setting a common bar above which all those who hold them have had to rise.