Speakers

Greg Balestrero, CEO, Project Management Institute

Gregory Balestrero spends more than 200 days a year traveling around the world as the chief ambassador for advancing the profession of project management on behalf of PMI. A featured speaker at international CEO events such as Economist, Business Week and Forbes forums and the Bo’Ao economic summit, Mr. Balestrero delivers powerful messages about the importance of project management in achieving success in today’s global business environment. Mr. Balestrero has represented PMI at special events in more than 30 countries throughout the world. He is quoted frequently in national and international media and has appeared as a guest on news and business television, including CNBC, BBC World and Sky News.

Mr. Balestrero joined PMI in 2002 with nearly 30 years’ experience in executive-level association management. An industrial engineer by training, Mr. Balestrero has extensive experience overseeing administrative, financial and internal affairs for many professional associations. During his leadership, PMI membership has tripled in size with members in 170-plus countries. More than 275,000 practitioners have earned PMI credentials in project and program management.

From 1994 to 2002, he served as executive director of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), an organization for construction professionals in nonresidential building construction based in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. He previously held the position of executive director at the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Mr. Balestrero served as the 2003-2004 Board Chairman of the Greater Washington (District of Columbia, USA) Society of Association Executives (GWSAE). He is an active member and the former president of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE). Mr. Balestrero also is a member of the Committee of 100 of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is a current member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where he served on the Board of Directors for ASAE’s Center for Association Leadership (CAL) through 2006; the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE); and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He is also a member of The Thought Leadership Advisory Council for the CAL.

Mr. Balestrero was honored with a fellowship in the World Academy of Productivity Scientists and was inducted into Alpha Pi Mu, an industrial engineering honor society, as an honorary member. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, and he is a U. S. Army veteran.

Tay Yoshitani, CEO, Port of Seattle

Tay Yoshitani, appointed CEO of the Port of Seattle in January, 2007, began the role in March. As CEO, he carries out policies set by the Port Commission and leads Seattle’s Seaport, one of the largest container ports in North America, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which welcomes more than 29 million passengers a year.

Prior to joining the Port of Seattle, Yoshitani served as Senior Advisor to the National Association of Waterfront Employers (2004 to 2007), providing industry expertise on port security and environmental issues.

Previously he served as Executive Director of the Port of Oakland (2001 to 2004), where he led a significant expansion program to substantially increase the size of both the seaport and airport. He oversaw environmental permitting and planning that enabled construction to begin on the airport expansion, including the Terminal Improvement Program that used “green building” technology. He also led the effort to transfer ownership and begin cleanup of two military bases and convert them into container terminals and rail yards. By doing significant environmental cleanup at the same time as the seaport construction, the effort saved millions of dollars and nearly a decade of red tape. He served as Oakland’s Deputy Executive Director from 1998 to 2001.

He is credited with creating the first master plan at the Maryland Port Administration, where he served as Executive Director (1995 to 1998). His accomplishments there included turning around the floundering Port. As Deputy Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles (1989 to 1995), he oversaw the creation of the West Coast’s largest dry bulk export terminal.

As president of Grand American, Inc. (1987-1989), Yoshitani directed property development and management operations specializing in office buildings and retail centers in three states. From 1975 to 1987 he also held various positions for Fortune 500 companies including Castle & Cooke, Inc., and Avery International.

Prior to becoming Executive Officer in Viet Nam for an engineering company, he attended U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger training. He served as aide-de-camp for the Commanding General, U.S. Army, Japan, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain.

Yoshitani, the fourth son of American-born parents, came to the U.S. as a 7-year-old aboard a ship that sailed from Yokohama and docked in Seattle in 1954. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and earned his MBA at Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He serves on the National Urban Fellows, Inc. Board of Directors.

Eric Grosse, President, Expedia Worldwide

Eric Grosse is the president of Expedia® Worldwide, overseeing Expedia.com® in the U.S., all Expedia-branded worldwide sites, and Expedia Media Solutions Group.

Grosse previously was one of the four founding members of Hotwire® and served as president of the Hotwire Group. Since founding Hotwire in 2000, Grosse has been responsible for all aspects of the discount travel site's business, having served as CFO, leading the company’s strategic and financial planning efforts, establishing the company’s initial supply relationships and helping build much of the company's operational infrastructure.

Prior to Hotwire, he spent two years in Morgan Stanley’s mergers and acquisitions department, and he also worked in Internet research at DMG Technology Group, where he helped lead the Amazon.com IPO.

Grosse graduated with honors from Williams College and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys a number of snow and water sports. He is married and a proud father of twin boys and a daughter.

Doug Moore, President, McKinstry

With over 30 years of experience, Doug was instrumental in evolving McKinstry’s capabilities to include mechanical and electrical design, build, operate, and maintain services. His extensive knowledge of the construction industry includes Pre-Construction Services and the strategic integration of design activities, budget models, constructability reviews, early procurement of equipment and building automation systems, and Building Information Models. As McKinstry’s Lead Mechanical Engineer, he is a registered professional engineer in the states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho. In addition, Doug advocates McKinstry’s commitment to sustainability and is a LEED Accredited Professional. As President, he is responsible for overseeing a staff of 1,600 employees.

Doug has served on various industry committees and is a past President of the Puget Sound Chapter of ASHRAE. He is currently on the Advisory Board for Seattle University’s Center for Leadership Formation and is a corresponding member of ASHRAE’s task group on HVAC Contractors and Design Build Firms.

Doug has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington.