TPG Speakers

BILL FOURNET


President and CEO

The Persimmon Group

When you want a program that transcends the ordinary, you need a speaker who doesn’t regurgitate tired material or canned speeches. Bill Fournet, who is hailed by colleagues as a rising entrepreneur, takes the same innovative approach to his programs as he does to The Persimmon Group LLC, the company he founded by the age of 32.

From restaurant manager to CEO, with senior project management and IT positions in between, Bill paved this career path by paying attention to our greatest resource: people. Whether it was through a 10-month turnaround of a restaurant that was $100,ooo in debt or managing a $46 million-dollar project with 150 team members, Bill’s experience in managing high-performance teams has directly influenced the unique business philosophy and atmosphere that has created one of the leading small businesses in our region today. In his 20-year career, Bill has helped enhance numerous Fortune 1000 organizations, including AT&T, IBM, Boeing, and The NORDAM Group. He has held the roles of Business Architech, Program Manager, Project Manager, Senior Business Analyst, Trainer, and Business Process Consultant.

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Drawing from his personal work experiences with leading aerospace, energy, retail, and government entities, Bill has created programs that make him a sought-after speaker on Leadership and Team Development, Business, Strategy, and Project Management.

Bill, a member of the National Speakers Association, is a highly professional yet personable speaker whose youthful energy coupled with a matter-of-fact style has demanded repeat engagements from leading corporations and associations. His sought-after presentations feature a high-level of audience participation, and his shoot-straight-from-the-hip, no-nonsense approach to business is guaranteed to keep the crowd motivated and engaged.

Bill, who earned his Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Vanderbilt University and his Master’s in History from Oklahoma State University, has also taught within the higher education system. A Louisiana native, he and his wife, Christy, have been married for 14 years and reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma with their 3 sons and one dog. He is an active member of his community, having served as vice president of his children’s school association, as a Cubmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster, and a coach for youth sports teams. He also is a member of various business chambers and affiliations.

“I met Bill Fournet at a BICSI conference. What a GREAT guy! He gave an excellent presentation and was extremely interesting to listen to. These conferences can be boring, at best, but Bill had great information that was presented in a very fun and clear manner…Definitely the best speaker there in my opinion. I have spoken with Bill since and have used his information in my own little world and would highly recommend him for any venue. I can’t wait to attend the next gathering with him.”

-Max Brown, VP Integrimax, Inc.

 

“We had Bill give a keynote address at a large retail conference. His presentation was all it was supposed to be and more. Excellent stage presence. The audience loved him.”

-Gordon Mazur, The Lavin Agency

 

“Bill did a great job talking to our members! They thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to having him speak at another event for us.”

-Marsha Shuffield, Edmond Chamber of Commerce

 

“After attending Bill’s session on the Multi-Generational Workforce and Ethics in Technology at the Network of Executive Women’s Leadership Summit, I knew that I had to get him to present for our DFW AMA Mentor Program – with a twist on Marketing talent. This is a hot topic that is impacting us all and will continue to evolve over time. Bill brought interesting and timely research and statistics, as well as actionable suggestions to take back to the office. He is a dynamic and energetic speaker, and kept our “multi-generational” audience engaged and talking about him well after the program ended. I would definitely have Bill speak again.”

-Sheri Jenkinson, Director of Partner Solutions at River Logic

 

“Bill did a webinar presentation on generational issues in Project Management for the Global Diversity Community of Practice. The planning process for the presentation was very hectic, but he and his team were very flexible in making all of the arrangements so that everyone won. He and his team embraced the theme of professionalism which continued throughout the delivery of the presentation and thereafter. They all worked to ensure that not only was the presentation well received, but that the attendees could keep in touch with him as they review and reflect on his presentation. His presentation was dynamic and catered to all of our attendees who were approx. 60% internationally based. He addressed all of their questions verbally as well as via chat in the limited time for the webinar. Many attendees applauded his charisma and ability to take on some difficult questions. It is with my greatest pleasure to recommend Bill to anyone who is looking for a presenter who does not shy away from the difficult topics but rather ensures that attendees are satisfied when all the information has been received/delivered.

-Camille Dickson-Deane, Project Management Institute

 

“It was truly an honor and privilege to introduce Bill as a Super Session Keynote speaker at the recent Network of Executive Women Annual Summit. Bill absolutely hit the mark to a standing room only audience for both sessions! Everyone left the room with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted and multi-generational consumer of today. Bill’s content was both thought provoking and practical as any organization contemplates their communication strategies for internal associates or customers. Bill leverages a vast set of professional experiences and a superb set of skills to deliver top notch presentations. Bill’s dynamic style and engaging approach is a must have for your next conference!”

-Rick Gillis GVP, Southeast Group Dean Foods Company

 

“I met Bill at the Network of Executive Women’s Annual Summit in North Carolina this year, where he was leading a session on multi-generational workforce trends. The content he presented was well researched, rich and very apt given the current global workforce and their diverse motivations. Bill definitely stood out as a highly credible industry leader who not only had his pulse on the up and coming talent management trends but also offered practical solutions to address the talent gaps global businesses will be facing in the very near future.”

-Supriya Dhall (PMP) (MBA- HR&MIS), The Clorox Co.

 

“Bill was a huge hit for my client, BICSI, last week in Las Vegas. Bill was the opening keynote speaker for the conference and really got things started for them on a high note. The president of the association wrote in an email to me following the event: ‘Bill did an excellent job! I was able to spend some time with him and got to know him on a more personal level. He spent time doing research on BICSI and included this into his presentation.’ I also spoke with their director of conference planning following his presentation and she said that Bill did a GREAT job! Please thank Bill for another successful event. The research that he does prior to his presentations is extremely evident throughout and he always makes me look good for recommending him! I have provided keynote speakers and entertainment for BICSI for over 15 years, really becoming a part of their team…and I have booked many outstanding speakers for them over the years, many at much higher honorariums. With the reduced budgets industry-wide, Bill helped me maintain and possibly even exceed the quality keynote presentations that the BICSI audiences have come to expect and I appreciate that. I’m looking forward to working with you, Bill and the Persimmon Group team again soon!”

-Arnold Sand, Sports, Marketing & Entertainment Agency, Los Angeles

 

“I brought Bill in to speak to my club to address what he sees as the major challenges businesses and business leaders are facing today. Bill did a wonderful job of speaking and had a very engaging presentation. I would highly recommend Bill.”

-Keith Parker, PMP, Project Manager, L3 Communications

 

“Bill gave his presentation ‘Spinning only makes you dizzy’ at our Northwest Arkansas PMI Chapter, and it was a very informative presentation on how destructive Spinning instead of honestly is. I also was fortunate to see his presentation “Going Commando” at the 2010 North American PMI conference. It was a very powerful presentation. I highly recommend both presentations.”

-Brian Jacobson, NWARK PMI

 

“Bill’s energy and knowledge was a perfect fit for our membership. He took the time to research our group and it showed in his understanding of their day to day work place challenges. He is an engaging speaker and was able to keep our members’ interest throughout each presentation. I would recommend Bill to anyone!”

-Diana Hakenholz, Association of Collegiate Conferences and Events Directors-International

 

“Throughout the entire process of speaker evaluation and contract signing to travel arrangements and the actual keynote, the Persimmon Group was as professional in dealings as I have ever experienced in my 15 years of program development. Particularly, the preconference telephone conversation between speaker Bill Fournet and I completely put me at ease his presentation Typewriters to Blackberries: How to Manage Generational Diversity in the Workplace would be on the mark, thought provoking, and engaging. Bill is not only well versed in history, which gives him a terrific frame of reference to discuss today’s technology and worker, but extremely knowledgeable about the social and psychological makeup of the various generations of the past 60 years. His material is not shallow and entertaining but truly revealing and challenging, so much so to the point the audience recognized they have much work to be done in order to continue to be successful. Perhaps the best part of having Bill speak to our group was his willingness to network with the conference attendees at receptions and breaks, at which time I was able to get to know him personally. He impressed me from his “Glad to meet you,” to his “Thank you for having me speak to your group.” I will absolutely have Bill speak to our group again.”

-Philip G. Rahrig, Executive Director American Galvanizers Association

 

“Bill provided a dynamic opening keynote address for our annual conference and it paved the way for a super event. His knowledge, personable style and engaging delivery had our participants begging for more. I would recommend Bill to others who are interested in positioning their event as a credible and cutting-edge experience.”

-Paul Reevs, Valley of the Sun ASTD Chapter

 

“Bill is an excellent speaker, who breaks down key issues facing Business leaders today, making it easy to understand and comprehend. He connects with his audience by using good examples to illustrate his points. If you have an opportunity to hear Bill speak, don’t pass it up, you will learn something!”

-Jon Bratta, Proprietary Brand Director, BP

 

“Bill’s generational insights were a highlight of a recent conference hosted by CSP. Suggestions for using social media for business applications were right on target.”

-Steve Holtz, CSP

 

“Bill conducted a full day workshop for the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. The topic was “Project Management”. Bill did an amazing job on several levels. His professionalism and expertise were evident. His content was relevant and applicable. His approach was creative and compelling. Everyone who attended the workshop walked away energized and empowered to take on challenging projects. I would highly recommend Bill Fournet as an exceptional subject matter expert on Project Management.”

-Terrence Wing, Los Angeles ASTD Chapter

 

“I had the distinct pleasure of attending Bill’s Project Management course at ASTD in Los Angeles. I have attended many courses on the topic, but Bill’s stage present, content selection, and highly interactive style clearly set him apart. Bill’s extensive experience as a highly effective and successful project leader is reflected in his content selection. His teachings focus on information and techniques that yield immediate results. If you are looking for someone with depth of knowledge and a pragmatic approach, Bill is a perfect match. ”

-Marianne Berglund, CEO, Organization Development and Workforce Training Connection Inc.

 

“Thank you for the invitation to attend Bill Fournet’s keynote presentation at the American Society for Training & Development event last week. I thought that Bill’s, “From Typewriters to Blackberries” was both informative and entertaining. The audience was engaged from beginning to end and you could tell that everyone related to the examples that Bill gave. I liked the fact that Bill was open to interaction from the audience during the keynote. That made the already intimate audience feel even more involved in the program and allowed Bill an opportunity to address issues that were affecting them in their organizations right now. I have already put Bill on proposals for two clients!”

-Arnold Sand, Sports, Marketing & Entertainment Agency, Los Angeles, CA

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