4PM is a PMI Global Registered Education Provider and all our courses and books have been reviewed and approved by the Project Management Institute (PMI). We also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Dick Billows, PMP, GCA
Dick Billows PMP, GCA has more than 30 years of experience as a project and program manager as a partner in an international consulting firm and as an executive with a Fortune 200 company. Since founding 4PM.com in 1986, Dick has consulted with and trained project & program managers for over 300 organizations. He is the author of 14 books and hundreds of articles on project and program management. Dick is president of 4PM.com and directs the firm's consulting, in-person seminars and web-based “Class of One” training programs for professionals.
Dick began his career in project management with an international consulting firm where he successfully managed performance improvement, cost reduction and systems development projects for clients across the United States and overseas for 12 years. He directed projects in the following industries: computer chips, aluminum extrusion, insurance, local and state government, food manufacturing, restaurant chains, international reservation systems, K-12 education, oil refining, law firms, hospitals, medical practices and construction contracting and sub-contracting in commercial, industrial and residential construction. Dick’s system development projects included: accounting, compensation, financial reporting, inventory control, scheduling, personnel management and claims processing.
Dick was promoted to partner at Grant Thornton International (the world’s fifth largest accounting and consulting firm) and assumed responsibility for the entire portfolio of client projects in the western United States. He was responsible for training and developing dozens of project managers who managed thousands of projects each year.
Dick was then recruited by a Fortune 100 company to manage a 14 state region with responsibility for a portfolio of new products, including new locations, advertising, marketing, research and development. His division achieved over 40% growth in 5 consecutive years.
In 1986, Dick and a team of project managers formed 4PM.com to provide project management training and consulting for PMs and clients around the world.
Dick applies his experience implementing achievement-focused project methodologies for clients, training project managers and consulting with project sponsors and executives. His Achievement-driven Project Management™ approach eliminates much of the needless paperwork and meetings seen so often in project management. Instead, he focuses on achieving measurable business outcomes and giving executives strategic control of their project portfolios.
Dick has written 11 books on project management as well as hundreds of articles on making project management more effective for project managers and their organizations. He directs the project mentors at 4PM.com and the delivery of Class of One project management training over the Internet as well as in-person seminars for corporate clients. Dick also directs the 4PM.com project consulting practice, helping organizations manage strategic projects and implement 4PM’s Achievement-driven Project Management™ methodology in their organizations.
He holds an undergraduate degree in economics and statistics from Johns Hopkins University, an MBA from the University of Colorado and has done doctoral work in organizational behavior at the University of Colorado.
Dick's books include:
- Project Manager's KnowledgeBase, 9th edition 2011
- Managing Information Technology Projects, 6th edition, 2010
- Advanced Project Management Techniques, 4th edition, 2009
- Construction Project Management, 5th edition, 2009
- Essentials of Project Management, 11th edition, 2011
- Managing Healthcare Projects, 3rd edition, 2009
- Program and Portfolio Management, 9th edition, 2011
See all the Class of One Instructors
What's Unique about Our Training
You learn from a practicing project manager not an academic
Your individual instructor is a practicing project manager who works on projects for clients as well as teaching our students so they know the cutting-edge techniques.
Our courses are hands-on learning; you learn by doing it
We don't teach you theories and then give you multiple-choice tests. All our courses involve actually managing a project. You work with your instructor in live meeting simulations, presenting project plans and project schedules you have built in Microsoft Project®.
You get individual coaching; not a chat room with 120 other people
You can talk to your instructor whenever you wish without any limit. You can also e-mail your instructor directly whenever you have a question. You'll always get an answer within 24 hours by phone or email.
Realistic case studies with videos; not silly academic exercises
Our case studies blend videos where you can see the executives whose questions you have to answer. In our live, real time simulations your instructor will play the role of the sponsor, stakeholders and your team members so that you can practice answering the kind of questions PMs are asked in the real world.
We have 25 years of experience specializing in training project managers
Our instructors and learning materials reflect the fact that we have been training project managers since 1986 and we know what works.
We write our own textbooks
We don't use theoretical academic textbooks. Our instructors have written 14 project management textbooks and each is a practical hands-on guide to the tools and techniques of project management. Our textbooks include software instructions and practical techniques for dealing with executives, stakeholders and your team members.
Practical coaching, not faculty who can’t answer real-world questions
You get a year of ongoing support from your instructor as you apply what you have learned to your real world projects and situations. As you advance in project management, 4PM can provide training at every level from beginner to program manager.
You control the schedule & pace... take a year, not 60 days, to finish
Our courses do not have rigid scheduled times for lectures or tight time limits. You can do your reading, listen to lectures and do assignments 24/7 from anywhere in the world. You can submit your assignments whenever it fits your schedule and you'll always get feedback from your personnel instructor within 24 hours. The only limitation is that you must finish your course within a year of enrolling.
