Technology >> CEO Interviews >> January 13, 2003
JOEL M. KOPPELMAN is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of
Primavera Systems, Inc., the leader in enterprise-wide project
management software. Mr. Koppelman provides vision and strategy
for the company and helps translate customer requirements into
product and services solutions. Mr. Koppelman founded Primavera
in 1983. He is a registered professional engineer who spent more
than 13 years in planning, designing, managing and controlling
capital projects in the transportation industry. Before forming
Primavera, Mr. Koppelman was Vice President at Day & Zimmermann,
Inc., a large engineering-construction firm headquartered in
Philadelphia. At D&Z, he was responsible for transportation
capital projects. One of his assignments was building the initial
management control systems for the design and construction of the
18-mile Metro Rail Project in Los Angeles. Mr. Koppelman was
responsible for evaluating alternatives for the $300 million
replacement of the Frankford Elevated transit line in
Philadelphia. Mr. Koppelman began his career at Booz, Allen &
Hamilton, a management consulting firm. He has been recognized
with the Distinguished Contributor Award by PMI and received the
prestigious Award of Merit from the AACE. He has also co-authored
the best seller Earned Value Project Management with Quentin
Fleming. Mr. Koppelman is an active member of numerous
professional societies, has delivered technical papers at various
associations, and has guest lectured at several universities. Mr.
Koppelman chairs the Dean of Engineering's Advisory Board at
Drexel. He was named to the Drexel 100 in 2000, and is engaged in
fund raising for the university's capital program. In 2001, Mr.
Koppelman sponsored the creation of a Virtual Collaboration
Laboratory in the new Bossonne Engineering Research Building. Mr.
Koppelman earned a BS in Civil Engineering from Drexel University
in Philadelphia (1970) and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania (1976). Profile
TWST: Could you give us a brief history of Primavera Systems,Inc., and an overview of what you do?
Mr. Koppelman: We are in the business of helping people manage
projects, people and