Ken Riches contributes a technological and problem solving perspective to Renaissance Executive Forums.  Ken has more than thirty years of experience in engineering, project management, quality and leadership.
 

Ken is a graduate of the University of Illinois where he received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and the University of Santa Clara where he earned a Master of Science Engineering Management.  He is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
 

 

Ken began his career at Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Francisco, CA.  After helping coordinate the IEEE Power Engineering Society Summer Meeting, Ken transitioned into Nuclear Power Plant design and operation, where he spent the next 26 years with steadily increasing supervision and management responsibilities at Pacific Gas & Electric, Detroit Edison, Sargent & Lundy, AEP, and Elkhart Brass Manufacturing.  This journey wound its way from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo, then to the Midwest via Monroe MI and Chicago IL, landing in South Bend in 1999.  In 2001, he found his professional passion in Project Management, with an emphasis on leadership.

 

 

Since 2004, Ken has been a volunteer in the local leadership for the Project Management Institute (PMI). After spending more than nine years as the Chapter President, he was appointed as the PMI North Central North America Region Mentor.  This entails helping other PMI Chapter leaders perform strategic planning, performing problem solving, and conflict resolution.  This mentoring philosophy has become a core part of Ken’s values.
 

Ken and his wife Beth enjoy traveling, music, and everything Notre Dame.  They strive to be good ambassadors of South Bend and Indiana.

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