Sandy Costa to be Keynote Speaker At North Carolina Project Management Annual Conference

Raleigh, N.C. (September 30, 2011) – Santo (Sandy) Costa, Smith Anderson lawyer, author and international speaker, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s North Carolina Project Management Institute’s annual meeting on October 19 in Raleigh, N.C.

The theme of this year’s annual conference is The Adaptable Project Manager. The meeting will address how project managers must recognize and adapt to change. The title of Costa’s talk is Embracing the Great Mysterious Change.

A common belief is that most people find mysteries and adventures fascinating and entertaining when presented in a novel or movie. But, they will not embrace uncertainty in their own lives and often have microscopic comfort zones. In his speech, Costa will discuss how people can expand that comfort zone and manifest a healthy reality towards change. He will offer detailed information about the different types of change in our lives and how to accept and possibly actually embrace change as a healthy and perfectly normal aspect of life. In that respect, Costa will discuss the part that our rational and emotional minds play either in challenging change or benefiting from the opportunities that change will spawn.

Finally, Costa’s speech will detail not only how to accept change in one's own life but how to get others comfortable with changes that you champion, even if it involves potentially difficult and sometimes emotive interactions with family, friends or co-workers. The goal for Costa’s speech is to enable attendees to view change as an opportunity not to be missed.

The North Carolina Project Management Institute is the North Carolina chapter of the world’s leading not-for-profit membership association for the project management profession, with more than half a million members and credential holders in more than 185 countries. The institute’s worldwide advocacy for project management is supported by its globally-recognized standards and credentials, its extensive research program, and its professional development opportunities. These products and services are the basis of greater recognition and acceptance of project management’s successful role in governments, organizations, academia and industries.

Costa is the author of the bestselling book, Humanity at Work. He is the former COO at Quintiles Transnational Corporation, and is well known as a leader and speaker with a message that offers steps for better business and relationships as well as lasting prosperity.

He currently lives in Cary, N.C. with his wife Jean Ann where he practices law with the law firm Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P., writes, speaks and consults with organizations. He has sat on numerous boards of directors nationally, donates his time to philanthropic organizations and is a popular media guest and commentator. He is also available for media interviews. To find out more, log on to www.santocosta.com.