Advisory Board

CertifiNOW has assembled a brilliant team of business advisors that represents various dimensions of American business excellence and has a commitment to providing consumer value. 

 

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Floyd Trotman III President and Chief Learning Officer (CLO)
Dr. Klyne Smith	Alex Tsigutkin
Adam Walker	John Peoples
Ramon Harris	Captain Ben Long
Shakir Zuberi

Floyd Trotman III, MBA, MS/MoIS, PMP
President and Chief Learning Officer (CLO)

As President of CertifiNOW Project Management Training & Consulting Services, Floyd manages the growth of the CertifiNOW national brand, while ensuring our customer-centric approach by focusing on the educational needs of our clients. As CLO, Floyd makes sure we deliver exceptional training classes and consulting experiences. As the liaison to the Project Management Institute (PMI^®), he ensures CertifiNOW class materials are aligned with industry standards, the Project Management Body of Knowledge (The PMBOK^® Guide), and current/newest editions of PMI^® global certification standards and certification exams.

Founder and Instructor Certifi NOW, LLC Floyd Trotman is an accomplished and highly demanded educator in the Project Management industry. As one of the few individuals that have mastered every version of the PMBOK^® Guide, Floyd has personally trained and coached thousands of professionals throughout North America to pass PMI^® certification exams on the 1st attempt. Nearly 100% of his students have, in fact, passed on their 1st attempt.

During his corporate career, Floyd proved to be a highly effective business leader by demonstrating the ability to exceed business, operations, and project management objectives for major corporations such as IBM, Procter & Gamble, AT&T, and InterContinental Hotels Group. With 20+ years of experience, Floyd has managed projects throughout North America, Europe, Middle East, and the Far East.

In the classroom, Floyd enthusiastically leverages his international corporate experience on behalf of students to create a dynamic classroom experience.

Mr. Trotman’s formal education includes two masters’ degrees from the Katz Graduate School of Business, at the University of Pittsburgh:

1. MBA (with a focus on International Business and Finance)
2. MS/MoIS (Management of Information Systems)

Mr. Trotman was originally certified by The Project Management Institute as a project management professional (PMP^®) in 1996. He was certified again by The Project Management Institute in 2006. Between 1996 and 2006, Mr Trotman earned certifications from IBM (1999), George Washington University (2000) and Georgia Tech (2002).

Dr. Klyne Smith , D.Engr, PMP
Senior Instructor and Director of University Relations

Dr. Klyne Smith has more than 20+ years of technical project management experience and has successfully delivered solutions on 5 continents and 20+ countries. Dr. Smith has project managed end-to-end solutions in the following industries: sports & entertainment, IT, finance, transportation, retail, utilities, and telecommunications. His experience spans the following aspects of project management: complex solution delivery, requirements definition, business development, and consulting.

Dr. Smith earned a Doctor of Engineering (D.Engr.) with a major in software engineering from Southern Methodist University; MIS from George Washington University; MBA from Christian Brothers University; BS in Computer Science from Xavier University; Dr. Smith has introduced the CertifiNOW "Get Certified - Stay Certified"^® program to several major universities and brought the program to Alcatel-Lucent business units across the USA and Canada.

Dr. Smith has been a certified Project Manager Professional (PMP^®) since 2004 and has held senior project management positions at IBM, Caesars Entertainment, Alcatel-Lucent, Masergy Communications, and Ericsson. He has made significant contributions to the development and implementation of technical business strategies for companies such as Comcast, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Amtrak, Target, Macy's, Coke, NBA, Olympics, Hertz, AT&T, NET Brazil, New York Transit Authority, Maxis, Claro, Bell Canada, Proctor and Gamble, New York Stock Exchange, Chattanooga Utilities, Bharti, Telstra, China Unicom, and SingTel.

Alex Tsigutkin

Alex Tsigutkin is CEO of AXIOM Software Laboratories, Inc., which he founded in 1989. Headquartered at 67 Wall Street in New York City, AXIOM SL (www.AxiomSL.com) has regional offices in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

AXIOM SL, the leading enterprise-wide risk management firm on Wall Street, is known for its dynamic approach to managing data, for its financial applications in Financial Control, Risk Management and Regulatory Reporting. Mr. Tsigutkin is the architect of the AXIOM product line, and oversees the direction of the company and its products to best serve its financial, energy and corporate clients.

Before founding AXIOM, Mr. Tsigutkin was an independent consultant to top tier international banks and financial institutions, advising senior management in the areas of banking operations and data base engineering.

An expert in enterprise-wide risk management, Mr. Tsigutkin is a frequent speaker at technology and risk management industry forums worldwide, addressing topics such as advanced relational database software, data warehousing, operational risk, the integration of market and credit risk, energy risk and bank regulatory issues. He is an active member of a number of professional organizations including GARP, USCIB, etc.

Mr. Tsigutkin graduated from Yeshiva University with a BS degree in computer science and applied mathematics. He received an MS degree in Business Systems and applications from Polytechnic University of New York.

Adam Walker
CEO Summit Container

Adam C. Walker began serving as Summit Container Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer in January 2014.  Walker has implemented a growth strategy focused on technology, innovation, new market expansion and Mergers and Acquisitions to accelerate the growth of Summit Container.  He has focused relentlessly on revenue growth, customer satisfaction and shareholder value creation.  Throughout his career, Walker has served as a high-impact strategist with experience spanning global manufacturing operations, business development, marketing, strategic business unit leadership and turn-around assignment.  Walker is an accomplished business executive with over twenty years of packaging expertise serving technology, automotive, beverage, and other industries.  Prior to acquiring Summit Container Corporation, Walker co-founded and led Homestead Packaging Solutions, an innovative and award winning packaging manufacturer with facilities in Tennessee and Michigan.  Under his leadership, the company received numerous awards including the NMSDC Supplier of the Year and the United States Department of Commerce – MBDA Manufacturer of the year.  Walker launched his career as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) where he played for seven consecutive seasons beginning and ending with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1990 and 1996 respectively.  Walker also played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1991 to 1995 and was a member of the 1994 49ers Super Bowl XXIX championship team.  Recognized for his leadership on and off the field, Walker served as special teams captain from 1994-1996 for both the 49ers and the Eagles; received 1994’s post-season special teams MVP; nominated for the Ed Block Award for Courage in 1995; received the 1996 special teams Player of the Year award; and the NFL’s Player Network Events (PNE) Executive of the Year.  Currently, Walker serves on the Board of Directors of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Gwinnett Technical College, the Georgia Small Business Center, and is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO).   He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh and completed the Advanced Management Executive Program from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management.
Visit Summit Container: http://www.summitcontainer.com/

Captain Ben Long

Mr. Long, a highly respected entrepreneur, provides operational oversight of LongView.  He directly develops and manages the company’s overall strategy and revenue generation activities. 

Mr. Long retired from the U.S. Navy after a distinguished 30-year military career. During his military career, Mr. Long held a variety of assignments throughout the world, with his last 12 years of active duty served at the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, DC. Six of those years he managed a $20 billion hybrid defense appropriation comprised of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; Procurement; and Maintenance and Operations; and for six years was the DoD IT Program Manager for a large information technology program management office, managing the secure development, deployment and sustainment of a number of critical and complex worldwide IT projects and systems.

Mr. Long holds advanced degrees from Saint Louis University, Syracuse University, Naval Postgraduate School, and diplomas from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), the Information Resources Management College at the National Defense University and the prestigious USMC Amphibious Warfare School.  Mr. Long is also an inaugural graduate of both the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), Syracuse University, and The Veterans Institute of Procurement, Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.

Certifications:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) -- Project Management Institute
• Certified as a DoD and a Federal Chief Information Officer
• DoD Acquisition DAWIA Level III Program Manager
• International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)
• Advanced Professional Designation in Logistics Management -- Society of Logistics Engineers
• U.S. Navy Specialty Designations in Financial Management, Integrated System Logistics, Fleet Marine Corps Operations and Information Technology
• Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives

Awards:

• Small Business Leader of the Year, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
• CIO Magazine “Top 100” Award
• E-Gov Institute/Federal Computer Weekly “Pioneer” Award and “Government’s Choice” Award
• Secure E-Biz Leadership Team Award
• USD (Comptroller) Top Award for Innovative Use of Technology to Improve Financial Management
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs “Champions of TRICARE”
• Distinguished Graduate, Advanced Management Program, National Defense University
• The Faculty Award for Administrative Excellence in Management, NPS, Monterey, CA

Visit LongView: http://www.longview-inc.com/home

John Peoples
President and General Manager of SC Johnson Canada.

John is responsible for all of SC Johnson’s operations in Canada. John has an extensive history of successful consumer products marketing experience. Prior to SC Johnson, John was a Managing Partner and Chief Financial Officer for nearly 10 years at Global Lead Management Consulting, where he led multiple diversity and human capital client engagements for large organizations including SC Johnson, Marriott International, Black and Decker, Campbell’s Soup and T. Rowe Price.

Previously, John worked at Procter & Gamble, where he served as Marketing Director for Customer Business Systems, and for the paper towel and facial tissue categories. In 1994, John was among Advertising Age’s top 100 marketers.

John serves as his company’s designee on several industry association boards including Canadian Chemical Specialty Products Association, Food and Consumer Products of Canada, and Corporations Supporting Recycling. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for Catalyst Canada and the Toronto Chapter of the National Black MBA Association.

John is committed to serving others and has devoted significant energy and attention to several not-for-profit organizations. He is currently a trustee for the Brantford (ON) General Hospital Foundation and The University of Virginia College Foundation.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Virginia.

Shakir Zuberi
President, Project-Management International.

For over 30 years, Mr. Shakir Zuberi has been a tireless international ambassador for project management, the professionalization of project management, and the Project Management Institute (PMI^®). He has spread the PMI^® message of “making project management indispensible for business results” throughout the globe, literally.

Mr. Zuberi’s contributions to the profession of project management and PMI^® are truly immeasurable because he has contributed in so many different areas across a large spectrum of service areas for many years. The following list is momentous but only highlights a few of Mr. Zuberi’s contributions to the profession of Project Management and the Project Management Institute:

• Major contributor to the original draft of The Project Management Institute's "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)", which has become the de facto standard for the project management industry and The Project Management Institute's 1st Global Standard. Mr. Zuberi was one of the original co-authors of the Procurement Management Knowledge Area, within the 1st PMBOK® Guide. Mr. Zuberi is also acknowledged within the 1987 and 1996 editions of the PMBOK® Guide, as a reviewer and primary contributor.


• Mr. Zuberi has served on the PM Network Editorial Board, as credential assessor, and helped develop the original PMP^® exam.


• Mr. Zuberi has served PMI^® as an unofficial international ambassador by providing countless verbal presentations and written articles to and for educational institutions throughout the globe.


• Mr. Zuberi has performed a variety of leadership roles in several PMI^® chapters but was a major contributor in the formation of the Columbia River Basin Chapter and has diligently served the chapter since its inception. He helped this chapter become recognized as New Chapter of the Year in 1994/95 and 1995/96 based on the success of the education program, the high rate of new PMP^® Certifications, and the sustainable growth of chapter memberships. Mr. Zuberi served the chapter for many years as the Vice President of Education.


• Mr. Zuberi has had a positive impact on incalculable number of Project Management Professionals. Through his company, Project Management International, he has influenced multiple hundreds of lives and advanced the knowledge, use, and application of the discipline of project management.

In acknowledgement of his tirelessly dedication to the advancement of project management and the Project Management Institute, in 2010 Mr. Shakir Zuberi was nominated for the PMI Fellow Award – PMI’s highest and most prestigious award that is presented to an individual.

Ramon Harris
The Executive Leadership Council Director,
Technology Transfer Project

Mr. Harris is a seasoned business manager with extensive operational management and strategic planning experience. Mr. Harris spent 23 years with the Xerox Corporation, managing finance and administrative operations. From 1988 to 1995, he served as the Business Manager for Xerox operations in Philadelphia and in McLean, Virginia. He had financial responsibility for marketing, service and administrative functions with revenues of $400 million and profits of $150 million.

He has assisted a number of higher education institutions in developing strategic plans both at the enterprise level and for information and telecommunication technology.

As director of the Executive Leadership Foundation’s Technology Transfer Project, Mr. Harris manages all aspects of a $10 million initiative by the Executive Leadership Foundation to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities in building technology infrastructures and integrating information and telecommunication technology into the teaching and learning process. He has also served the Foundation as the Interim Executive Director of the Institute for Leadership Development and Research. He has co-authored two publications for the Foundation. The first publication, A Ten-Step Guide to Establishing Instructional Technology, integrates his diverse organizational experiences from corporate America and public education with the development of a strategic approach for effectively integrating technology into teaching and learning. The second publication, Information and Communication Technology Strategic Planning Model, provides colleges and universities with a step-by–step process for planning and developing a pragmatic approach for the adoption and integration of information and communication technology into the living and learning environment. In addition, Mr. Harris was a consultant and advisor to an EDUCAUSE initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, entitled Advanced Networking with Minority Serving Institutions (AN-MSI).

Mr. Harris was divisional president for Education Alternatives, Inc. during 1995 and 1996. As divisional president, he managed all aspects of twelve Baltimore public schools involved in a unique private-public partnership arrangement. Mr. Harris has extensive Total Quality Management and strategic planning experience. During 1986 and 1987, he was Quality Manager for Xerox’s Mid-Atlantic Region, where he developed and implemented the Leadership Through Quality Program, which included all aspects of strategic planning and training.

From 1980 to 1985, Mr. Harris was the Region Controller for Xerox’s Mid-Atlantic Region with responsibilities for managing all administrative and financial activities. From 1978 to 1980, he served as the Manager of Finance and Administrative Management Training. In this position, he developed performance-based curricula for financial and administrative management. Mr. Harris holds a BS degree in business from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.