Employee Spotlight: Tom Roberts
APTIM spotlights Tom Roberts, virtual proposal center manager, who in his 14 years has become an extraordinary resource for information on our teammates, projects, awards, and service capabilities.
How long have you worked for APTIM?
I have been with APTIM for just over 14 years.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
A typical workday for me involves many activities. From keeping the Virtual Proposal Center (VPC) Toolbox current with accurate data and information to fulfilling requests for metrics and company information such as headcounts, office locations, company overviews, project write-ups, resumes, and many other items. I work with multiple groups and personnel each day on requests for all types of information they may need. I also support proposal and marketing efforts. There are many facets to my job, every day is an adventure, I never know what type of information someone is going to ask me for.
Any big projects you are working on that you can tell us about?
I am currently working with a team to automate the headcount metrics we use in proposals and marketing using Power BI. We are also working on identifying replacement databases for Resumes and Projects. It would be nice to have everything back onto one system, so identifying a replacement for those two databases is a goal for this year.
What do you like most about your job?
What I like most about my job is the teams and teammates I work with. They are more like family than just coworkers. I also like the variety of projects I get to work on and the fact that I learn something new each day.
What do you like most about working at APTIM?
What I like most about working at APTIM is the people and the projects. Each day I work with the most talented professionals in our industry. The projects APTIM performs are remarkable. I also like being part of the proposal team and seeing the lifecycle of a project from capture planning, proposal preparation, to winning a project, seeing the team we proposed going to work on said project, and then a year or so down the road writing up that project to win more work. It is very satisfying to be part of such a great team and organization and even more satisfying seeing the entire lifecycle of a project.
What is the best career lesson you have learned so far?
Never be afraid to ask questions. The more you know, the better off you will be.
What inspires and motivates you?
I am inspired by my teammates. The work they do and the hours they put in to create winning proposals is immense. The proposal team goes above and beyond and works tirelessly on each effort. The teams and teammates I work with motivate me to be the best I can be and perform to the best of my ability on every task I do.
What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?
When I was in college, I interned at a local TV station in Des Moines Iowa running the teleprompter for the evening news. I wasn’t very good at it because I would read the teleprompter along with the news casters instead of scrolling up for them. However, towards the end of my internship, I had gotten the hang of it. I imagine I would be at a TV station somewhere doing something like that.
Any interesting facts about yourself you could share with us?
I was born in Dixon, Illinois but only lived there for a few days. My parents were in the middle of moving from Dixon to Des Moines when I came along. Another fun fact is that when I first started out in this industry, I worked as a receptionist for CH2M Hill.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I am not working, I like spending time with my family and being outdoors playing disc golf, hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and snowboarding. I also enjoy playing guitar, I am always learning something new to add to my bag of tricks.
Do you have a favorite quote?
“You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do.” – Jerry Garcia
Interested In A Career At APTIM? Your Journey Starts Here.
What you can expect from APTIM:
- Work that is worthy of your time and talent
- Respect and flexibility to live a full life at work and at home
- Dogged determination to deliver for our clients and our communities
- A voice in making our company better
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