ARLINGTON The capital projects manager for the city of Arlington, Paul Ellis is offering a brief introductory training session on managing projects to help event organizers present successful events.
I am planning to do an overview of the process of planning a project whether the budget is $50 or $50 million, Ellis said.
I will talk about creating an annual budget and determining risks and challenges.
The seminar evolved out the Downtown Arlington Merchants Associations efforts to develop and expand its annual events as well as introducing some new ones, said Jeanne Watanabe, president of the Downtown Arlington Business Association.
Our goal is to help event organizers present the best possible event benefits all the community with the least possible effort, she said, adding that they realize these events are extra projects above and beyond everyones day job.
We want to make it easy and fun for everyone to get involved and help market Arlington, she added.
While the Project Planning Session was instigated for coordinators of downtown events set for 2008, DABA and Ellis are inviting anyone interested in learning more about planning successful events.
The lunch-time seminar is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9 in the City Council Chambers, at 238 N. Olympic Ave., in downtown Arlington. Admission is free and participants are encouraged to bring a sack lunch to eat during Elliss presentation.
I want to introduce the project management process to help the event planners gather the information needed by the board of the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce, which are being asked to insure the events, Ellis explained, since DABA is a committee of the chamber and is striving to market Arlington by planning events.
He intends to talk about the whole process of planning a project, from defining roles and responsibilities of committee members to establishing criteria that will help evaluate results.
Ellis was manager of the recently completed Olympic Avenue project and is now starting to plan the process to build a new fire station in Smokey Point. He has a masters degree in project management from the University of Washington.
Ellis is working with the Community Capital Development Program to present more such seminars to help businesses in Arlington grow and succeed. He plans to gather input at this session on what business owners and employees would like to learn in the future.
I thought we could do a variety of seminars on marketing, such as partnering on projects, like the rack card listing Arlington restaurants that was created for the Bite of Arlington for the street opening celebration, Ellis said.
Those interested in attending the Project Planning Session should RSVP to Jen LaFranchi at 360 Home Real Estate, 360- 403-8334.
Project Planning 101 offered to community members
ARLINGTON The capital projects manager for the city of Arlington, Paul Ellis is offering a brief introductory training session on managing projects to help event organizers present successful events.
