Jim De Piante joined IBM in 1984 as a software engineer after serving 6 years as an air crewman in the US Navy, and after graduating summa cum laude from the University of Florida in Computer Information Systems. Jim has led development projects in hardware, software, architecture, eBusiness and other fields, and has worked in the IBM Product Divisions, IBM Global Services, IBM Research, IBM Global Engineering Services and ibm.com.

He recently returned to the US after a two-year assignment to IBM Italy where he was a speaker and trainer on project management, leadership, networking and a variety of other topics. He presently works for IBM Research on projects in natural language and artificial intelligence. Jim is an Executive Project Manager who holds IBM's highest Project Management certification, that of Executive Level Project Manager.

He is also a highly regarded and entertaining speaker and teacher. He has spoken for PMI, IBM, and many others, all over Europe, the United States and Canada and his talks are always well received. Jim De Piante, PMP Executive Project Manager .