Nancy Kessler, CPP APMP Fellow (Class of 2004)
Executive Consultant
Shipley Associates
Bio
Nancy is retired from Shipley Associates, continuing to work as a part-time Executive Consultant. She worked in the BD field in both industry and consulting for over 35 years, becoming an APMP Fellow for her work in the development of the Business Development Capability Maturity Model.
Since retiring from full-time work, Nancy has moved from the DC area to Tulsa, OK, near her younger son and his family. She volunteers with SCORE, a national organization partially funded by the Small Business Administration to help entrepreneurs, and recommends it highly to everyone who enjoys the business of winning business!
What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?
It was an immense honor to be inducted into the Fellows in 2004 along with Art Bass, Mike Humm, and Dick Eassom, people whose knowledge and capability I've always respected and regarded as aspirational for me. I still use the designation along with my APMP certification in my professional communications.
While the environment is evolving and tools are growing more and more intuitive, the occasional flash of insight from long experience can be useful. For APMP, the Fellows represent that voice of experience as well as the personal honor of being selected.
And, of course, it means my dues are paid beyond my life expectancy!!
What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?
So many! But the best memory is probably the outpouring of love, respect, and admiration for Charlie Divine when he retired. It was obviously in return for the love and care he lavished on our organization and its members. I'm so glad I got to work with him and share his immense joy in life, work, and others ... and a few glasses of wine!
What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?
Keep current on technology, maximize your strengths, acknowledge your weaknesses, and publicly ask for help, always keep learning and growing, celebrate both wins and losses as ways to do the former, and remember that those you manage are responsible FOR you, not just TO you.
Anything else you would like to add?
Proposal professionals are often unsung heroes. Thank goodness we have APMP to help us sing for ourselves.
