Project Controls from the Owner's Perspective  

July 8-10, 2025 (Tue, Wed, Thu) 

Paul is a Senior Vice President with Pathfinder, LLC and is responsible for the Chemical, Food & Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industries. Paul has 30+ years of Project Management and Project Engineering experience working for Owner and Contractor organizations in the Petroleum, Chemical Process, Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Microelectronics, and Food and Beverage industries. He has extensive multi-disciplined hands-on engineering and construction experience along with demonstrated competencies in planning, budgeting, contracting, project controls and management of personnel. Paul has worked on both international and domestic projects and has broad-based experience in the development of projects from concept through start-up.

Mr. Williams earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and his MS in Engineering Management from Drexel University. He is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and is a registered Professional Engineer (PE).  Paul’s professional affiliation memberships include the Project Management Institute (PMI), Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACEI), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME);  Participates in Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA).

Description
This seminar will cover Project Controls Industry “Best Practices” (approaches, methods, techniques and tools) suitable to an owner organization’s project portfolio and specific projects.  Topical coverage will include:

• Project Controls Perspective (relative to Owner’s role)
• Project Controls Process
• Roles and Responsibilities for Project Controls (Project Manager/Engineer, Owner’s Project Team, Owner's Project Controls Team/Representatives, Contractors)
• Planning and Scheduling (Development and Baselining)
• Cost Estimate/Budget (Development and Baselining)
• Cost and Risk Analysis and Contingency (Development and Management)
• Progress and Productivity Measurement
• Cost and Schedule Management
• Project Controls Reporting
• Change Management

A combination of material presentation in lecture format, examples and interactive sessions will be utilized by the instructor to provide attendees with an opportunity to engage in discussions and participate in an effective learning experience.

Who would benefit most by attending this seminar?
Owner Project Team Representatives, primarily Owner’s Project Manager’s, Project Controls Specialists and Managers, Project Engineers.

Content:  Basic

Key learning objectives:  
-Define the Role of Owner Representatives in Project Controls
-Understand the working relationship between Owners and Contractors with respect to Project Controls
-Define Project Controls "Best Practices" for Owner Organizations
-Define the Development and Utilization of Work Breakdown Structure
-Developing Project Cost and Schedule Baselines
-Define Effective Framework for Internal (Owner) and Contractor Project Controls Reporting
-Analyzing/Interpreting Project Reports/Data
-Outline and Effective Change Management Process/Guidelines
-Define and Effective Project Controls Environment for: Measuring Progress, Measuring Productivity, Measuring Earned Value, Forecasting/Trending Cost/Schedule

How learning objectives are measured:
An appraisal form and participant feedback form to quantitatively (10 point scale) and qualitatively measure the attendees' learning experience on a self-assessment basis (pre and post-seminar level of understanding of topical coverage) is used. 

Knowledge areas addressed:
Project Controls:
• Planning & Scheduling (Development, Baselining, Control)
• Cost Estimating/Budgeting (Development, Baselining, Control)
• Risk Analysis/Management, Contingency Setting & Management
• Change Management
• Project Reporting/Communication