Stephen (Steve) P. Shipley, APMP Fellow, chairman of the board of Shipley Associates and co-founder of APMP, passed away Friday, Sept. 3. He was 76.
“Steve was an industry legend,” says APMP CEO Rick Harris, CP APMP. “He helped create APMP and gave a voice, purpose and a way forward to the industry association that we all love today. He was a kind person with an incredible sense of fairness and compromise. He will be deeply missed by his family, his Shipley Associates family and his APMP family.”
Steve was born in 1945 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. His family moved to Utah and then Oregon before he returned to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in psychology in 1969 and where he met his wife, Marian, whom he married in 1968. Steve also received his Juris Doctor degree in 1976 from the University of Maryland.
At the time of his passing, Steve served as the chairman of the board of Shipley Associates, where he oversaw the continuity of the company’s executive and management teams, along with the expansion of the company into larger global markets. Steve joined the company, founded by his cousin in 1972, in 1988 and, after it was sold to Franklin Quest (now FranklinCovey), purchased the proposal and business development portion of the business with his business partners.
Throughout his career, Steve served in many roles, professionally and personally. In 1989, he co-founded the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP), where he had served as a past president, legal counsel and emeritus board member. In 2001, he was honored as being part of APMP’s first class of Fellows.
Here, Stephen’s colleagues share what he meant to them.
Brad Douglas, CF APMP, Shipley Associates
Steve Shipley was more than a leader — he was an example, a friend and an ambassador for fairness, transparency and ethics. He listened to ideas, views and opinions and was willing to “let the best idea win.” He taught me more than business principles and passion — he was a life coach. Steve’s passion for establishing a community of practice for proposal professionals drove him. He was “all in” and fully committed to the mission and vision of APMP. He invested time, energy and significant resources to give all of us in the proposal development community a place to network, grow and learn from one another.
In business, Steve showed many of us the way to conduct ourselves ethically and with passion. In life, nothing mattered more to him than his family: his wife, Marian, his six children and grandchildren. His commitment to making his home a refuge for his kids was undeniable — something I personally learned to appreciate about Steve. He would never trade success in business for success in his home. He was deeply committed to those he loved.
Many of us in our professional community are committed to carrying on his legacy. We will continue to be “all in” for the arts, sciences and technologies of winning business in a fair and ethical way.
Charlie Divine, CPP APMP Fellow
Steve Shipley is a hero to us in countless ways.
To our community: APMP is extremely important to him. We would not be where we are today if it was not for Steve’s pioneering leadership and vision. Today, we all walk in Steve Shipley’s footprints.
To a world of friends and colleagues: Steve always has time to get to know new friends or check up on old friends. I remember his huge smile and his kind way.
An example to organizations worldwide: Steve’s leadership and professional contributions to our practices make the proposal world a better place. He is always willing to share his wisdom and skills.
An ardent hero to his own principles: Steve is a relentless example of fairness and leadership. His ethics are unwavering.
Steve is my hero.
One afternoon, I was sitting at my desk and received a call from Steve. He was in St Louis and wondered if could stop by. Of course, he wanted to meet everyone in the proposal center. We all met in my office; he asked, “What do you do here?” and we all talked about what we did. That afternoon, Steve never gave us advice or tried to explain practices. He simply asked questions, which left us thinking long after he left. That was his way — gentle leadership and respect for individuals. His visit started our path to a best-practices organization and made me a better leader.
My thought and prayers go out to Steve’s family. His APMP friends are better because of his examples. Steve’s leadership, ethics and contributions will always be with us, cheering us on!
APMP will be celebrating Stephen P. Shipley during a “Power Half-Hour” Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. EDT. Join us as we remember this industry legend.
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