Value-Driven Project Support Officer | PMP®, PRINCE2®, MoP®, ITIL® | Safeguarding Operational Effectiveness & Efficiency

PMP® Credential Holder Since 14 Aug 2010 | #1352933

Core Belief: Project management practitioners are tasked with identifying the right delivery approach, to get the job done, and deliver value that is worth the effort (incl. expense) and aligned to stakeholder expectations!

Hi, I’m Mark E. (Elliot) Geres, Director of PM by Design Canada, based in the Greater Ottawa (Canada) Area, and I am currently available for new private-sector work assignments.

Every organization is forced to adapt in today's warp-speed world, and that change happens entirely through projects. But large initiatives rarely fail due to lack of vision—they fail because small, overlooked execution errors compile over time.

As a value-driven project support officer I serve as the "anchor of reality" for project teams. I specialize in providing high-level analytical, tactical, and operational support to ensure complex, multi-deliverable corporate projects remain strictly value and outcome-centric.

Rather than just managing from the top, I dig into the data, analyze variances, track performance against objectives, and implement structured frameworks to keep systems running smoothly, predictably, and profitably.

With 15+ years of diverse experience spanning both the private and public sectors, I bring a business-agnostic, highly adaptable approach to Project Offices (PMO/EPMO), procedures analysis, and operational effectiveness & efficiency.

I speak "truth to power" when a plan or system carries unforeseen risks, ensuring that identifying the right delivery approach, to get the job done, and deliver value that is worth the effort (incl. expense) and aligned to stakeholder expectations.

Core Areas of Supporting Expertise:

Methodical Project Support: Tracking progress, fact-checking, benchmarking actual vs. planned performance, and recommending decisive corrective actions.
Framework Optimization: Leveraging deep expertise across PMI PMBOK®, Agile Hybrid, PRINCE2®, MoP® (Portfolio Management), and ITIL® IT Service Management.
Risk & Quality Assurance: Applying a sharp eye for quality systems (Kaizen) to identify and mitigate micro-mistakes before they impact the bottom line.
Bilingual Communication (English/French): Fostering cross-functional alignment and maintaining productive, positive workplace environments that improve stakeholder and employee retention.

I am actively available for new work assignments. Let’s connect to discuss how I can reinforce your project team, project office and protect your operational efficiency.

✉️ Contact: info@pmbydesign.ca | ???? Ph: 1.819.827.2558

Functional CV (See Below)

A 'CHRONOLOGICAL' version is also available, upon request!

Introduction

Innovation is not a slogan, or a cliché; it’s a way of working. It’s an attitude of enthusiasm and curiosity. It’s about observing what we currently do and wondering how it can be done better." — Ed Bernacki

Mark absolutely loves to be a catalyst for good change. A keen/sharp eye for quality systems. Open minded. An inherent willingness to try new things or to hear and consider new ideas.

A Methodical Organizer

Direct, objective, humorous and observant, I tend to be a methodical organizer, who is good at making sure that everything is running smoothly, and according to plan.

I tend to be logical and strategic, and to have an excellent grasp of logistics, being able to quickly quantify operations and plans, knowing just where adjustments are required and additional attention is needed the most.

A task oriented thinker with an eye for the bottom line—social, outgoing, and communicative—I also tend to enjoy dealing with people, and figuring out how to best marshal and organize them. I tend to understand the external world through analyzing it, logically and organizing it.

Even though I am an extrovert, I can often be a bit more reserved.

Orientated towards clear decisions and actions, I tend to dislike ambiguity and unresolved states that drag on for too long, and can at times evince a preference for simply committing to some decision or applying whatever solutions on hand now, instead of waiting indefinitely for a slightly better one.

Generally though, as long as I’m still thinking or talking through a problem, I am actually quite open to better suggestions. My strong demeanor, and conclusions can sometimes make me seem more inflexible than I really am.

The irony is that I actually appreciate it when someone drills down with me to discover the best solution. In my mind it’s reasonable to expect if someone is sitting on a better solution he/she should speak up and push back a little and not just sit there, holding their tongue.

I am often endowed with a superior eye for detail, and I tend to be diligent and ambitious. I often take pride in my ability to execute my tasks, efficiently and professionally. I tend to have high expectations of myself and others.

I tend to balance my sense of efficiency and eye for the bottom line with a playful sense of humor. I don’t mind a good prank or tease now and then and often good with humorous and ironic remarks that develop a sense of camaraderie.

Noteworthy Project Management Competencies That Often Underlie My Successful Performance at Work

Business | Management | Technical | Behavioral

Creative Thinking - Questioning conventional approaches, exploring alternatives and responding to challenges with innovative solutions or services, using intuition, experimentation and fresh perspectives.
Values, Ethics, & Professional Conduct - Fostering and supporting the principles and values of the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Client Focus - Understand who the client is and what the client's current & future needs are; be able to provide realistic expectations and to reach agreement with the client from the project's outset.
Procedures and Tools - Ability to understand and apply established policies and procedures, tools and technical requirements to the project.
Strategic Thinking - Ability to analyze the future impact of decisions by taking a big-picture approach, and to strategically position the project within the business to relate to short and long-term objectives.

Building Workplace Interpersonal Effectiveness

"He who knows others is learned. He who knows himself is wise."— Lao Tzu

Self-Management Skills or Traits| Temperaments | Style

HOW I CONDUCT MYSELF

Alone or with Others

Trainable and trustworthy.
I enjoy spending time with other people. Interacting with others helps me feel energized.
Enterprising—having or showing initiative and resourcefulness.

Myers–Briggs® Type Indicator ESTJ

Direct, objective, humorous and observant, ESTJs tend to be methodical organizers who are good at making sure that everything is running smoothly and according to plan. They tend to be logical and strategic and to have an excellent grasp of logistics, being able to quickly quantify operations and plans, knowing just where adjustments are required and where additional attention is needed the most.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW << ESTJ in 4 Minutes >>

Holland Code® ICS

Investigative (Thinker), Conventional (Organizer), and Social (Helper).

SOCIAL STYLE® (Expressive)

Spontaneous, outgoing, energetic, creative and friendly. I enjoy involvement, excitement and interpersonal interaction.

DiSC® Personality Profile (C-Compliance)

Cautious & Reflective. Accurate; analytical. Conscientious; careful. Fact-finder; precise. High standards; systematic. Questioning & Skeptical.

A strong proponent / advocate of the CLICK HERE TO VIEW << PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (Updated 17 November 2025) >>

I emphasize quality, think logically, and strive for a diplomatic approach and consensus within groups. I ask important questions and talk about problems that could hold up projects—and speaking "truth to power" is important to me.

The Japanese word kaizen translates to “good change.” I work hard to engage, scrutinize, hold accountable—and make better.

Problems on Large Projects Can Often Be Attributed to Small Mistakes That Were Overlooked!

Precise, detail-oriented and conscientious—I take great pride in being accurate and correct and especially excel in specialized or technical tasks due to my attention to detail.

Because I focus on the details and often see what many others do not, I tend to be a good problem solver and very creative. I think very analytically and systematically, and make decisions carefully with plenty of research and information to back it up.

An instinctive organizer, who can both create and maintain systems. I am a "do it yourself" manager who maintains focus on tasks and will see something through until it's finished.

I have very high standards for both myself and others. I bring perspective to groups and tend to be the 'anchor of reality' in team thought. When something is proposed, I will think through every detail of how it works and the process.

Fields of Interest & Study

WHAT I KNOW

and Love to Use

Four years of post-secondary studies at Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology and CÉGEP (collège d'enseignement général et professionnel).

Business Administration
Quality and Operations Management
Marketing Management
Production & Inventory Management / Supply Chain Management—ASCM®-based, formerly APICS®
Computer Programming and Networks
Project Management—PMI® PMBOK®-based

Additional Training & Development

15 Yr. Credential Holder of PMP® #: 1352933

Date Earned: 14 Aug 2010 | Current Certification Status: In good standing
Agile Hybrid Project Pro™
MoP® - Portfolio Management Practitioner,
PRINCE2® Project Management Practitioner, and
ITIL® IT Service Management-Foundation.

Security Clearance: GC Level II (SECRET)

Proficient in both official languages ─ Bilingual English/French GC Level C/B/B

Public Speaking | CC (Competent Communicator) Certificate | 10 Speech Projects Completed Successfully | Toastmasters International

Computer Software/Hardware: MS Office (Spreadsheets, Email, Presentations & Slideshows, Database Management), Project Management/Scheduling, Communication and Collaboration Tools, Social Media, Graphics, Flowcharting & Diagramming, Web, Computer and Telecommunications Networks and Hardware, Enterprise Systems including Project Portfolio Management CA PPM (formerly CA ClarityTM PPM) and Electronic Document Management.

Academic Studies H.S. Diploma

Technical Studies H.S. Diploma | Welding and Mechanical Drafting Specialization

Functional [Transferable] Skills

WHAT I CAN DO

and Love to Do with Data/Statistics, People, or Things

Problem solving, analyzing, researching, and testing.
Written/verbal communications, counselling, advising, encouraging, facilitating, and organizing.
Computer skills (intermediate / advanced), proficient computing, applications, and programming.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW << Noteworthy Functions & Processes of Project Management >>

Food 4 Thought

"No organization can afford to stand still in today’s warp-speed world. And all that change? It’s happening through projects."—Pulse of the Profession, PMI, February 2020

A project’s success is measured by product & project quality, timeliness, budget compliance, and degree of customer & stakeholders’ satisfaction. Noteworthy too is that practitioners and scholars have determined that project success should also be measured with consideration toward achievement of the project objectives.

"The ultimate purpose of project management is to create a continuous stream of project successes. This can happen provided that you have a good definition of "success" on each project." — Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.

Project management practitioners are tasked with identifying the right delivery (aka development) approach, to get the job done, and deliver value. For projects with multiple deliverables—it’s entirely possible that you might use different development approaches for different deliverables.

Development Approach? A method used to create and evolve the product, service, or result during the project life cycle, such as a predictive (plan-driven/waterfall), iterative, incremental, adaptive (agile/evolutionary), or hybrid method.

"Innovation is not a slogan, or a cliché; it’s a way of working. It’s an attitude of enthusiasm and curiosity. It’s about observing what we currently do and wondering how it can be done better."—Ed Bernacki