Alec Granderson, MBA, MPM, PMP
Senior Project Manager, Alcatel-Lucent Technologies
Teaching focus: Project Management

Where I come from

While I was still in college, I saw technologies in their infancy beginning to obsolete old technologies. I graduated from DeVry with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering technology. I wanted to work in a field that was always going to be around, so I chose phone systems. With that in mind, I got a job first at Centel Business Systems, which mainly sold telecom equipment, and then at Ameritech, a former regional Bell operating company. I've been in telecommunications ever since.

Back in the 1980s, integration projects and new product development were the sales drivers for telecom companies. Early on at Ameritech, I was in charge of a project that integrated our phones with the Northern Telecom voice messaging system. It was a huge money-maker for Ameritech. I managed other projects that involved networking PBX systems together for companies like Baxter Healthcare, turning local area networks into wide area networks. Such projects married various product management groups and the professional services organization.

After 14 years at Ameritech, I was recognized as a very talented engineer with good business sense, but I was locked into a niche. I wanted to branch out, so I left and got a job at Lucent, now Alcatel-Lucent Technologies. Just when Lucent's woes began in the market, I had an opportunity to lead a development project that made a ton of money for the company. My project management skills saved my job, basically, and put me on a fast track. I am now a Senior Project Manager in the New Technology Trials area. In competition with other vendors, we go out to customers (Sprint is my main customer) and demonstrate products we propose to build for them and their customers.

It's not just a good idea—it's the policy

When I was starting out, I led several projects at Ameritech, and I realized nobody else in Ameritech had any formal project management training-and that was a big problem for the organization. Projects were coming in over budget because we had no mechanism to monitor and control them effectively.

I looked for a graduate school that would help me understand project management, and I chose Keller Graduate School of Management. I earned both an MBA and a master's degree in project management there. The knowledge I gained in the classroom was directly applicable to the workplace. Once I started utilizing some of the principles I was learning, other people started looking at ways to leverage this new approach. Many of the practices and principles I learned at Keller actually became policies at Ameritech. I had several conversations with our VP of operations about implementing project management holistically, not only in the product development where I worked but in the operational areas as well, just to maintain our business.

What I bring to class

I have been fortunate to teach at my alma mater, and have been doing so since 1999. I like to engage the students in real-life projects and make it fun. I give them scenarios and problems based on my experiences and ask them how they would respond to the situation and solve the problems. I lecture on the theory and principles involved, then I want to see students get into teams and work themselves through the obstacles by applying the principles and their own expertise.

The Advanced Program Management course is about managing multiple projects. I create a scenario in which there are several organizations and 8-9 projects, some of which involve cross-company teams. The students choose 2-3 projects to work on, do the analysis and scheduling, control for risks, etc., and then something happens--they lose key team members or there are parts shortages or whatever. They have to fix the problem so they can stay on schedule and on budget.

Keep in touch

I receive letters and emails from students thanking me for what they learned in my class and telling me about their promotions or new jobs. That really makes me feel good. Seeing them achieve success is wonderful. I try to mentor some students. I'll set up meetings, help with finding jobs, pass on openings that fit their backgrounds, or pass their resumés on to others who may be able to critique the resumé or possibly hire them.

Why Keller?

What sets Keller apart is the work experience that instructors bring to the class and their willingness to share that with their students. At most other graduate schools, you won't find instructors with relevant work experience in industry. That is a huge differentiator. I was able to take what I learned in my project management classes at Keller and directly apply it to my work at Ameritech.

Adults aspiring to get a master's degree need to show their employers that it will make a difference to the business. A Keller education provides the tools to make a difference. It enlightens students not only with the theory and principles, but also with the ingenuity to execute well and grow the business.