Chris Simmons

ChrisSimmons

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Chris Simmons, CP APMP Fellow (Class of 2013)

Founder & Principal
Rainmakerz Consulting LLC

Bio

Consultant; Rainmaker; BD Expert; Featured Speaker; Award-Winning Author; Trainer; Coach; Reputation for passionate, entertaining, practical, and content-rich presentations

Frequent APMP presenter and author; Former APMP NCA Vice President and Membership Chair; First John Elder APMP Journal Award Winner (How to Create Winning Proposal Themes); NCA Mentor of the Year; Former NCA LinkedIn Group Manager
Founder and Principal Rainmakerz Consulting LLC (www.rainmakerz.biz); 200+ customers; Tens of billions in new contract awards
Consulting Magazine’s Top 25 Consultants (nominee)
Deloitte Consulting Partner; CGI Senior Principal
MBA, Information Technology, University of Massachusetts (Amherst)

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

It is the highest recognition in the capture/proposal industry achieved by ~100 out of 20,000 members since the program was established in 2001.

What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?

2013 Bid & Proposal Con, where I received both the Fellows recognition and the John Elder APMP Journal Award for "How to Create Winning Proposal Themes."

What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?

Work hard, play hard, be thankful for the opportunity, communicate, work/life balance.

Anything else you would like to share?

APMP has been directly responsible for helping me grow personally and professionally.

With this micro-certification and digital badge, I signal to my bid team and stakeholders that I am familiar with this topic. They can use me as their contact and "sparring partner," independent of RFPs.

Norbert Thiemermann, CPP ES-M APMP

Certification has enhanced my worth as a bid professional. It has validated the skills and experience I have and is proof of my bid management qualities and capabilities. It has given me a springboard to develop my career and aim for Professional certification.

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Aynsley Davidson, CP APMP

Without APMP, I would not have the tools or knowledge of the industry to have the career I have today and the success I have experienced.

Liz Megli, CF APMP

I never want to be complacent in my career, so it has been beneficial to have this group of peers who are going through similar trials and tribulations in the proposal world on a day-to-day basis.

Jill Zander, CF APMP

APMP certification is the gold standard for the industry. For me, accreditation is formal recognition of my commitment to the profession, as well as an avenue for improving my performance and bid outcomes by training in APMP principles.

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Ailsa Tuck, CP APMP

For the first time since I started my career, I felt like I was not alone in my struggles to meet deadlines, wrangle SMEs, and answer impossible questions. I’m grateful to have this community to share our wisdom and experiences.

Anthony Rossi, CF APMP

APMP has provided an incredible platform for seasoned individuals from the Proposal and Bid Management profession and young professionals who want to start their careers in this field.

Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate

This topic, Executive Summaries, is way underrated. The Executive Summary is the most eye-catching document, which almost everyone on the customer side reads. Yet, in most bid teams, we don’t dedicate the attention it deserves. I want to learn about something I can immediately put into practice at my workplace, which provides a “quick win” to the team and is a long-term benefit for the company.

Dénes Máthé, CF ES-M APMP

APMP has been instrumental in my success and has given me a framework in which to coach and mentor the bid and proposal stars of the future.

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Ceri Mescall, CPP APMP

Being an active APMP certified practitioner allowed me to recognize my hidden potential multifold (40u40, BPC Awards, BPC Speaker) and give back to the profession through the APMP community.

Karthik Koutharapu, CP APMP