Overview 

Team Fishel, a respected utility engineering and construction company with a legacy dating back to 1936, is known for its commitment to safety, quality, and delivering value to its customers. With operations across 14 national divisions and a rapidly growing project portfolio, the organization recognized a need to modernize its project management capabilities. 

To lead this transformation, Team Fishel partnered with Kolme Group, a project and portfolio management consulting firm, to create and implement a scalable, standardized, and people-first solution called Project Management Excellence (ProMX). What began as a pilot in Arizona quickly grew into a national initiative—driven by shared vision, thoughtful change management, and a strong partnership. 

The Challenge 

Like many large organizations with decentralized operations, Team Fishel faced several challenges in their existing project management approach: 

• Inconsistent Practices Across Divisions
  Each of the company’s regional divisions had developed its own unique workflows and reporting structures. While locally effective, these inconsistencies limited enterprise-wide visibility, made resource planning difficult, and created challenges in scaling best practices. 
• Limited Process Alignment and Role Clarity
  Project managers and field teams lacked a unified understanding of core PM processes, responsibilities, and expectations—leading to delays, missed handoffs, and duplicated effort. 
• Need for Change Management During Organizational Shifts
  Amid contract changes with national clients and resulting shifts in organizational structure—including layoffs and departmental reorganization—Team Fishel required both technical project management support and empathetic organizational change management (OCM). 
• No Formalized PM Training Program
  Though the company had skilled personnel, there was no standard internal development path for project managers to grow their capabilities or adopt consistent tools and methodologies. 

The Solution: Kolme’s ProMX Framework 

Kolme Group designed and implemented a phased, hands-on approach rooted in collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement. Over an 18-month engagement, this included: 

Arizona Pilot Program 

Kolme kicked off the partnership with a focused pilot in Team Fishel’s Arizona division. This allowed the team to test, learn, and refine the ProMX program before scaling it to additional regions. The early wins from the pilot laid the foundation for broader adoption. 

10-Nationwide Roadshow Rollouts 

Kolme experts traveled across the U.S. to lead 10 in-person roadshows—each designed to train, inspire, and onboard teams to the ProMX methodology. These sessions included both technical instruction and people-focused discussions, bringing structure and clarity to regional project teams. 

The very first roadshow set the tone for the entire program. With 16+ Team Fishel team members in the room, Kolme co-founder Kim Essendrup joined to help introduce the vision: transforming the organization through strong program management, practical training, and change leadership. With Kolme’s “A-team” of Joe Maloney and Tanya Mancuso on the ground, the foundation for trust and engagement was laid from day one. 

Each roadshow evolved based on participant feedback, making every session sharper and more impactful than the last. This commitment to continuous improvement came to life during the final regional events. The Ohio + PSG Roadshow, for example, was the largest and most engaged group to date. Tanya Mancuso once again led the Organizational Change Management (OCM) sessions with clarity and purpose, helping attendees connect the ProMX approach to their daily work. One attendee—newly promoted to Area Manager—had previously attended the Virginia roadshow as a project manager. He noted how much stronger and more resonant the content felt this time around, crediting Kolme’s ability to listen, adapt, and grow the program alongside the organization. 

Another standout moment came during Roadshow #3 in Virginia. Despite challenges arising from client contract disruptions and regional restructuring, Tanya guided teams through structural shifts and helped realign OCM group roles during a challenging period of transition. Her ability to lead with calm clarity helped reinforce trust in the process—and in Kolme as a long-term partner. 

The Las Vegas roadshow also reinforced Kolme’s standard of excellence. Tanya once again delivered a flawless OCM session that demonstrated why Team Fishel teams consistently trust her to deliver value at every stop. As Joe Maloney noted internally, her leadership and professionalism have become not just appreciated—but expected—by the client. 

“Over nine sessions across the U.S., we engaged hundreds of team members—building alignment, capability, and momentum. The trust and appreciation we’ve earned from the client speaks volumes. It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re already exploring what’s next as the partnership continues.” — Joe Maloney, PM Strategic Consultant, Kolme Group 

Development of Bespoke PM Training
Kolme designed and delivered a custom Project Management Skills & Knowledge course tailored to Team Fishel’s real-world needs. This wasn’t off-the-shelf training—it reflected the way Fishel teams actually work, enabling immediate application on the ground. The course served as both a professional development tool and an internal alignment mechanism. It helped formalize role expectations and created a shared project management language across all regions. 

SME Program & National Champions
To support sustainability, Kolme helped identify and train 33 internal Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across Team Fishel’s divisions. These SMEs now serve as ambassadors for the ProMX methodology—coaching others, reinforcing standards, and serving as ongoing points of contact. 

Organizational Change Management (OCM)
Throughout the initiative, Kolme ran a significant OCM effort to ensure adoption and cultural alignment. This included change agent identification, stakeholder communication planning, and tailored support for divisions undergoing change. 

Toolkit, Smartsheet Enablement & Methodology Finalization
As the program matured, Kolme finalized the official ProMX toolkit, complete with templates, workflows, and playbooks. Team Fishel selected Smartsheet as their project management tool of choice, and Kolme supported the rollout and integration of Smartsheet across all 14 divisions—ensuring alignment between methodology and system functionality. 

“Change doesn’t happen overnight—it takes trust, clear communication, and a deep understanding of the people behind the process. What made this program so rewarding was seeing Team Fishel’s teams not only embrace new ways of working but take ownership of them. That’s where real transformation begins.” — Tanya Mancuso, Project Management Strategic Consultant, Kolme Group

Results at a Glance 

• 238 licensed Smartsheet users and 322 unlicensed users actively engaged 
• 33 Subject Matter Experts developed across the organization 
• 10 ProMX roadshows completed nationally 
• 4 contract expansions beyond the initial pilot 
• 14 national divisions fully engaged and trained 

“Wrapping up the final roadshow was a proud milestone. We started in Arizona and ended with 35 participants in Kentucky. That’s nine of nine in the books. The ProMX program has created a lasting shift, and the relationship we’ve built with Team Fishel is one of mutual respect and long-term collaboration.” — Joe Maloney, PM Strategic Consultant, Kolme Group

The Impact 

With a focus on practical change, real-time learning, and continuous improvement, the program delivered measurable value: 

Improved Project Visibility and Predictability
With Smartsheet and standardized templates, project status, risks, and resources are now visible at both the division and enterprise level. 

Cultural Shift Toward Continuous Improvement
The ProMX framework created a language and structure for teams to refine how they work—together. 

Leadership Development
The SME network and a newly forming Project Management Leadership Group are driving long-term change from within. 

Trust and Partnership
Kolme became more than a vendor.

“We had setbacks. We learned a lot. We adjusted course multiple times. But we built something powerful—together. I’m proud of the team we formed, the solutions we delivered, and most importantly, the relationship we built with Team Fishel.”  — Joe Maloney, PM Strategic Consultant, Kolme Group 

Conclusion

The Kolme Group–Team Fishel partnership proves what’s possible when strategy, people, and process come together with purpose. What started as a single pilot has scaled into a nationwide transformation—standardizing project practices, empowering teams, and creating measurable, lasting results across 14 divisions.

Your organization can achieve the same level of clarity, consistency, and confidence in project delivery. With the right partner, even the most complex challenges can be turned into opportunities for growth and long-term success.

Are you ready to elevate your project management capability?
Start the conversation today—use the chat box to the right or submit a quick contact form. Together, we’ll build a path to excellence tailored to your team.

“I’m incredibly proud of the Kolme team and the dedication they brought to every phase of this project. From the first pilot to the final roadshow, our consultants delivered with professionalism, heart, and a true spirit of partnership. Watching this team help bring meaningful change to an organization like Team Fishel has been one of the highlights of our year.” — Kim Essendrup, Co-Founder, Kolme Group