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Laurie Haberthier, past President of the PMI Mile Hi chapter, passed away April 20, 2021. She served on the chapter Board from 2011 to 2017, providing leadership as Vice President of Professional Development for 3 years and as President for 4 years. She had been an active chapter volunteer and leader since her PMP certification in 2004.    

Laurie was a strong leader, authentic, clear-minded, passionate, funny, nurturing, and devoted to her family. Along with other long-time volunteers and Board members, Laurie exemplified the “soul” of the Mile Hi Chapter for the past 15+ years. She touched many lives as a volunteer, colleague, and friend.

Several chapter members have posted their memories of Laurie on this Tribute Page, and you are welcome to send your thoughts to outreach@pmimilehi.org for posting.  We also encourage you to send a message to Laurie’s family through In Memoriam’s tribute wall and Legacy.com Memories & Condolences.

NOTE:  PMI Mile Hi Chapter has donated a grove of trees in Laurie's honor. The family received information about this donation in a condolences note.

Laurie’s Chapter Accomplishments

Laurie’s contributions to the PMI community and our chapter were immeasurable. Below is a list of some of her accomplishments.

• PMP Course instructor, from 2008 – 2018
• Team Member for Mile Hi Chapter of the Year Award. The chapter received global visibility as a premier organization for PMI. Laurie was part of the team that applied for, and won, global chapter of the year and several other international awards.
• Chapter Lead for the Global 2008 Host City Project. Laurie initiated and managed the partnership between PMI Global Operations Center (GOC) and PMI Mile Hi chapter. Our chapter hosted nearly 5000 convention attendees at the North American Global Congress, Academic Forum, and the Leadership Institute Meeting (LIM) in Denver. Laurie’s leadership not only created a spotlight on the Denver PM community but also served as a golden example for other chapters partnering with GOC on future conventions.
• Chapter Board member from 2011-2017 as Vice President of Professional Development and Chapter President. Her achievements include the following:
  • Drove initiative to hire external resources for Administrative, Operational, and Finance Transaction support to free up board resources and to focus on program development and outreach.
  • Drove initiative to build and license a chapter website service supporting overseas chapters and smaller US chapters.
  • Championed the chapter’s Annual Rocky Mountain Project Management Symposium, one of the premier PMI events, consistently drawing up to 1500 attendees every year.
• As Chapter President, hosted the Region 6 Annual Meeting in 2014. This unique event established a new event benchmark for regional PMI meetings, thanks to Laurie’s leadership. Based at the Brown Palace Hotel, the meeting featured high-energy professional keynote speakers and a professional MC. Attendees enjoyed free books and socializing at several venues across Denver, experiencing all the city has to offer.
• Laurie was a consummate PM professional, dedicating herself to expanding the profession through chapter engagement. She mentored and supported chapter members, making friends with them at their first chapter meeting, encouraging them to pass the PMP exam, and growing them from a volunteer to a board member. She was active with the Global PMI community, presenting at several PMI conferences, LIM, Region 6, and chapter meetings--giving back to others by sharing her wisdom and insight.

Chapter Member Memories

The following are personal tributes from PMI Mile Hi chapter members.

Eric Johnson:

I met Laurie sometime in 2005 or 2006, but I didn't really 'know' her until after the inaugural PMI Mile Hi Leadership class in 2007. I believe that Laurie and Chuck had the vision to pull the instructor for the PMI Global Leadership class (Jerry Brightman) and pair him with another chapter member (and former PMI Global Leadership class alumnus), Nathaniel 'Q' Quintana, to deliver the same material to a chapter audience. It was a one-year journey that deeply affected every participant. I think all of us were changed by our time together, and a group of us continued to meet on a monthly basis for coffee at The Market until the COVID-19 pandemic stopped that type of get-together. The Saturday Leadership Fellowship Coffee was a place where many ideas were shared, advice given and received, and plans made.

The Saturday coffee sessions will hopefully return as the world returns to this sort of thing, but it won't be the same without Laurie sitting around the wobbly cafe tables and laughing.  Laurie was a funny, nurturing, and vital presence in the chapter whose love and contributions will be felt through the chapter and its members for many years to come. She cared about people and doing what was right, no matter what was required. Hard work or the threat of a possible dust-up were not discouraging but part of any project that was worth delivering on-time, on-budget, and with heart.

Laurie liked to play volleyball, and her family could often be found in the park on weekends spiking the day away. She loved her two sons and her husband, Dave. She enjoyed gardening and flowers. She did not like buttermilk--but she could be convinced to take a sip for a friend. She was a great friend, and I will miss Laurie's distinctive laugh and big smile at chapter events. I trust that she will keep a kind and helpful eye on us all as we do our best to live up to the example she set. 

Chuck Tate:

I had the opportunity to work with Laurie while I was on the Board and directly on a daily basis for the past 4+ years. Laurie was passionate about project management and was a Director of the Project Management Office for Fiserv, specializing in the Government services product line. She loved participating in trivia nights and performed quite well with her family and friends.  She loved going 4-wheeling and had just recently sold her customized Jeep. She loved gardening and southwestern art. 

Annette Leazer:

I served with Laurie on the Mile Hi Board from 2012-2016 and appreciated her leadership and candor.  You never needed to wonder what Laurie thought because she would let you know, and you could usually see what she thought on her face. I loved that and her quick smile and laugh! I admired Laurie’s passion for project management and especially for the chapter. She expected the best from her team and was willing to work for excellence, whether on new chapter bylaws, policies, educational events, or the Symposium. She wanted PMI Mile Hi Chapter to have a positive impact on the local PM community and to be admired by other chapters. I appreciate her contributions to the chapter and will miss her energy, passion, and friendship.

Mary Ann Ott:

I met Laurie at StorageTek, and she introduced me to her profession and passion of project management. Laurie helped and encouraged me to study for the PMP exam, and that was just the start of her demonstration of her proficiency at her abilities in project management.

Laurie introduced me to the Mile Hi chapter and encouraged involvement in all aspects of the chapter’s activities, from strategic planning to the tactical execution of printing materials for classes.

Laurie demonstrated her warmth and welcoming attitude in the simplest of manners:  greeting each person by name, preparing the classroom or meeting room ahead of time, and following up with each attendee by soliciting their feedback and ideas for improvement.

Laurie exemplified the professional Project Manager.

Laurie cared deeply about the PMI Mile Hi chapter and was a strong and devoted leader and friend.    Our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, and colleagues and for the collective loss of our chapter and the project management community.  Laurie will be missed by all.

Jorge Glez:

Laurie was a strong pillar of the PMI Mile chapter in many different ways. I do not recall where I first met Laurie but it must have been around 2008. I was one of those attending/working the Chapter Meetings Laurie found time to have significant conversations with. I had the pleasure working with her when she was our Vice President of Education supporting the Saturday Workshops. Laurie’s work with our teams was inspirational, informative, friendly and tremendously effective. I also worked with Laurie alternating PMP Cert Prep classes for the Chapter. She was a strong support when either one of the teachers was not available, she jumped in on very short notice to teach any part of our PMP cert courses because she knew every part of those classes. She was in general a great speaker and teacher.

On the personal side Laurie supported me uncounted times with suggestions, technical answers, professional tips and tricks, and even with a handover when I took over a project she had worked on.

Our PMI Mile Hi careers touched many times in different ways during the last decade and I can easily say that Laurie was a kind, extremely knowledgeable, and very hard worker for the Chapter and the project management profession. Thank you Laurie for all your support.

Elizabeth Kraemer:

I worked with Laurie at StorageTek on the network connectivity solution and product development team.

Laurie was a leader and no-nonsense communicator. We worked hard with internal and external engineering, marketing, finance, manufacture and product development teams together, never lost our fun for doing the hard work. We celebrated every success we fought hard to get at the Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant in Broomfield Flatiron Crossing.

I remember at one of the PMI Mile High hosted PMI Symposiums where Laurie worked at the registration booth. She saw me with a name tag of Liz Kraemer and yelled at me: “When did you become Liz, you are Elizabeth and always Elizabeth to me.” That’s Laurie’s style. She was assertive and confident on everything she believed.

I loved her style because it was her take-charge personality and leadership style, we didn’t miss any important target timeline. Everyone on the team called her “Big Mom”. I will miss Laurie so much. It was a shock to me when I opened my email today and learned the news.

Laurie, Big Mom, wish you always smile in Heaven.