Deborah Simmons Email & Phone Number

Doss, Texas

The first time my hands touched clay on a wheel, I could feel the potential. Order could arise from chaos through conversation between hands and clay. As I began creating my own glazes I came to view my pottery studio as a microcosm of the forming of the earth, with the kiln in the role of the molten core. Using minerals from the earth's crust, I form them into vessels and heat them to melting. When they cool they transform into stoneware. Pottery is seductive. I never achieve anything as… Show more The first time my hands touched clay on a wheel, I could feel the potential. Order could arise from chaos through conversation between hands and clay. As I began creating my own glazes I came to view my pottery studio as a microcosm of the forming of the earth, with the kiln in the role of the molten core. Using minerals from the earth's crust, I form them into vessels and heat them to melting. When they cool they transform into stoneware. Pottery is seductive. I never achieve anything as lovely as what I envision, but the beauty of what the earth herself forms spurs me to keep creating. Show less

Doss, Texas

Proprietor of two charming cottages available to guests looking for a refuge from the stresses of the city. Of course you can bring your dogs!

Doss, Texas

Bossy Spa is an online periodical for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's or dementia. Unlike the sites offering practical nursing instruction, like how to bathe a bedridden person, Bossy Spa is aimed at helping caregivers with the emotional strain inherent in their role. If you know someone caring for a loved one with one of these terrible diseases, please feel free to refer them to the Bossy Spa, which dispenses virtual hugs for caregivers.

Deborah's Thought Garden is a weekly blog with stories about family and rural life. The simple stories often grapple with larger issues like aging, interpersonal conflict, and finding meaning. I am curious about these matters, but not an expert, so I work them out on the page. You are invited to come anytime for a stroll in the Thought Garden.

Houston, Texas Area

Launched this technology spinout from Statoil based on a fracture mapping technology developed within Statoil's research and technology group. Collaborated with founder and stakeholders to build the core team and develop the initial market message and commercial strategy.

Houston, Texas Area

• Set the strategy to transform a technology staffing company into a software consultancy serving the upstream oil and gas industry.• Built a team to execute the business transformation to deliver higher value services with margins on the new business model more than double historical margins.• Established an advisory board of industry leaders to provide guidance, expand brand recognition, and develop new business opportunities.• Teach the Capital Markets segment of the Ignition… Show more • Set the strategy to transform a technology staffing company into a software consultancy serving the upstream oil and gas industry.• Built a team to execute the business transformation to deliver higher value services with margins on the new business model more than double historical margins.• Established an advisory board of industry leaders to provide guidance, expand brand recognition, and develop new business opportunities.• Teach the Capital Markets segment of the Ignition program for client companies of the Houston Technology Center. Show less

• Set compensation policies to align staff incentives with company financial objectives, including implementation of a successful commission program for sales and recruiting that drove company revenue up 96% over six years.• Developed corporate pricing model, with one recommended change yielding a fourfold increase in gross margin percentage that sustained over five years.• Engineered process improvements that resulted in greater accuracy in financial reporting and a 25% reduction in… Show more • Set compensation policies to align staff incentives with company financial objectives, including implementation of a successful commission program for sales and recruiting that drove company revenue up 96% over six years.• Developed corporate pricing model, with one recommended change yielding a fourfold increase in gross margin percentage that sustained over five years.• Engineered process improvements that resulted in greater accuracy in financial reporting and a 25% reduction in administrative staff in one year.• Managed cash flow by securing appropriate financing to reduce financial risk during high growth periods.• Established profitability benchmarks relative to peer group that kept the company's margins on track compared to the industry. Show less

• Developed a unique, hands-on approach for evaluating strategic issues and tactically implementing processes improvements to maximize stakeholder value.• Evaluated investment opportunities for financial institutions, including market analysis, legal and financial due diligence, and business process assessment. Made "go" or "no go" investment recommendations.• Structured and implemented all aspects of turnaround management to assist investors in improving ROI, including recovery of… Show more • Developed a unique, hands-on approach for evaluating strategic issues and tactically implementing processes improvements to maximize stakeholder value.• Evaluated investment opportunities for financial institutions, including market analysis, legal and financial due diligence, and business process assessment. Made "go" or "no go" investment recommendations.• Structured and implemented all aspects of turnaround management to assist investors in improving ROI, including recovery of principal from a bankrupt entity.• Led entrepreneurs through the process of preparing a business for sale, sourcing buyers, negotiating a transaction, and managing the post-sale integration, including sale of a medical services provider to a public healthcare firm.• Sourced and negotiated strategic alliances to improve market penetration and drive growth, including an alliance between Enron Building Services and a small facility management firm that yielded them several Fortune 500 clients such as Quaker Oats.• Evaluated core business practices and implemented process improvements, including a plan to outsource vendor calls for a company in financial difficulty, which improved staff morale and lowered turnover during a business downturn.• Found creative solutions to resolve conflicts between clients and their financial stakeholders, including an agreed "friendly foreclosure" between a secured creditor and an industrial services company that reduced total debt by 81%. Show less

• Responsible for sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and closing financial transactions within a portfolio of national accounts in high technology, energy, and mortgage banking. • Successfully closed deals including project financing, acquisition financing, working capital lines of credit, interest rate swaps, private debt placements, commercial paper backup lines, and loan syndications.• Analyzed risk associated with extending credit, and structured financial transactions to meet… Show more • Responsible for sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and closing financial transactions within a portfolio of national accounts in high technology, energy, and mortgage banking. • Successfully closed deals including project financing, acquisition financing, working capital lines of credit, interest rate swaps, private debt placements, commercial paper backup lines, and loan syndications.• Analyzed risk associated with extending credit, and structured financial transactions to meet client needs while minimizing risk. • Managed portfolio of financial investments to ensure compliance with agreed terms and covenants as an early warning system for deteriorating credit situations.• Led workouts and restructuring of financial transactions with clients whose risk profiles no longer met the banks standards. Show less