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.

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

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

I would advise new professionals to take advantage of the resources that APMP offers. Not only do you have access to conferences and seminars through your chapter, but the free webinars and the robust network of professionals are great benefits that can help advance one’s career.

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Valerie Kessie, CP APMP

The Executive Summary is the key element of each proposal, literally the most important part of the response next to the price – this is why my focus was on this micro certification. Understanding the principles of Deal-Strategy, Win-Strategy, Competitor-Analysis, Ghosting, Persuasive Writing, Features/Benefits/Discriminators, and many more is essential and beneficial for so much more than just the Executive Summary.

Florian Lamisch, CF ES-M APMP

My experience, combined with the APMP Body of Knowledge, helped me obtain both the APMP Foundation exam and the Practitioners exam within a week.

Sonal Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP

This was my first APMP event, and I was wholly impressed. The energy in the room reignited my passion for this industry, and I can't wait to get back to my team to implement what I have learned.

Brittany Guzman

Brittany Guzman, CF APMP

As a sales coach, the executive summary is vital for capturing and proposing management activities. This is an excellent addition to our members' professional standing, and I look forward to many more micro certifications.

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Suzanne Shields, CPP ES-M 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

The time was a good investment, and I expect to reap benefits now and in the future!

Kelly Erickson, CF APMP

The certifications, starting from the foundation to the professional level, help individuals from diverse timeframes in their careers.

Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate