Each year PPI recognizes contributions and thought leadership in the area of Project Production Management. The award is presented at the Annual PPI Symposium.
We are proud to announce that Ivan Damnjanovic, PhD, Professor at Texas A&M University, has been awarded this year’s PPI Technical Achievement Award at the 11th Annual PPI Symposium.
This prestigious honor recognizes Dr. Damnjanovic’s significant contributions to advancing the field of Project Production Management (PPM) and his dedication to bridging the gap between research and practical application.
Thank you, Dr. Damnjanovic, for your commitment to driving innovation and excellence in capital project delivery!
PPI presented the 2023 Technical Achievement Award to M Al-Azahary A Sani, PMP during the 10th Annual Symposium in Houston, TX. Al-Azahary is Senior Manager of Project Innovations at PETRONAS. He is currently leading a team to drive transformation in capital projects under PETRONAS NervCentre, Project Delivery & Technology. He has 19 years of experience in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry. He began his career as Field Engineer in gas processing plant operations and maintenance, before assuming a Project Manager role overseeing various plant change and rejuvenation projects. He is currently spearheading Project Production Management (PPM) implementation within the PETRONAS project portfolio, and also playing a key role to shape the Malaysian oil & gas industry’s adoption of innovative solutions for improved project delivery performance.
PPI presented the 2022 Technical Achievement Award to Iris D. Tommelein, PhD during the 9th Annual Virtual Symposium. Iris D. Tommelein is a Professor of Engineering and Project Management in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and directs the Project Production Systems Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.
PPI presented the 2021 Technical Achievement Award to H. James Choo, PhD during the 8th Annual Virtual Symposium. Dr. Choo is the Chief Technical Officer of Strategic Project Solutions, Inc. and has been leading research and development of PPM knowledge, processes, and systems since the mid-1990’s. He developed the world’s first Last Planner software along with one of the early work packaging applications documented in an ASCE Journal paper. He created a “parade of trades” computer simulation and since joining SPS in 2001 has led the development of all SPS’ PPM Solutions.
Since joining SPS, Dr. Choo has worked with various organizations in oil & gas, heavy industrial, civil infrastructure, aerospace & defense and other industries around the world implementing project production management solutions in support of delivering desired project objectives.
James earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Yonsei University, Korea, and a PhD in Construction Engineering & Management from the University of California at Berkeley.
A huge congratulations to Dr. Choo!
PPI presented the 2020 Technical Achievement Award to Professor Phil Kaminsky during the 7th Annual Virtual Symposium. Mr. Kaminsky is the Earl J. Isaac Professor in the Science and Analysis of Decision Making in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at UC Berkeley. He is currently on industrial leave at Amazon, as a Principal Research Scientist.
The Institute gave the award to Mr. Kaminsky in recognition of his long career in supply chain research, which focuses primarily on the analysis and development of robust and efficient tools and techniques for design, operation, and risk management in logistics systems and supply chains. This encompasses operational issues including the modeling and analysis of production and control systems, as well as more tactical and strategic concerns, including the integration of production, distribution, and pricing strategies, and more broadly the analysis of issues that arise in integrated supply chain management. Kaminsky received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University, and his MS and PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management Science from Northwestern University.
PPI presented the 2019 Technical Achievement Award to Gary Fischer, General Manager, Special Projects at Chevron Corporation. Mr. Fischer has spent 30 years in Chevron’s capital projects organization and has held a variety of technical and executive positions across downstream, chemicals and upstream. During Mr. Fischer’s career, he provided functional expertise to improve project team effectiveness and created best-in-class approaches for the execution of Chevron’s worldwide major capital projects portfolio.
The Institute gave the award to Mr. Fischer in recognition of the leadership and general excellence he has exhibited in Chevron’s evaluation and implementation of Project Production Management and digital transformation on major capital projects.
PPI presented the 2018 Technical Achievement Award to Professor Martin Fischer, Fifth Kumagai Professor in the Stanford School of Engineering, and Director of Stanford University’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE).
The Institute made the award to Professor Fischer in recognition of his long career in research into technology and innovation to improve effectiveness of project teams involved in designing, building and operating facilities. His work advances the theoretical foundations and applications for virtual design and construction.
PPI presented the 2017 Technical Achievement Award to Jennifer Weitzel, General Manager of the Global Data Center Program at Microsoft.
In her current role, Ms. Weitzel is responsible for the global expansion of Microsoft’s Cloud Infrastructure Program, with capital investment of $9 billion per year over the next five years.
On November 30, 2016, Glenn Ballard, Research Director of the Project Production Systems Laboratory at UC Berkeley, was awarded the 2016 PPI Technical Achievement Award.
Dr. Ballard was recognized for his invaluable contribution in the delivery of capital projects through development of theory and application of operations management concepts, including the Last Planner approach.
On December 9th, 2015 David McKay, Vice President, Well Factory Execution – Bakken for Hess Corporation was awarded the 2015 PPI Technical Achievement Award.
Throughout his career, McKay has been instrumental in delivering significant value through the application of operations management concepts to optimize oil and gas field development.
On December 3rd, 2014 Mark Spearman, CEO of Factory Physics Inc. was awarded the 2014 PPI Technical Achievement Award.
Spearman was recognized for his many contributions to the field of Operations Management theory, including development of new theory, codification of existing theory, teaching, research and writing.
The annual award includes an unrestricted grant to support additional research in the recipient’s field.