Mr. Simmons has served as a senior-level executive in public finance investment banking (financing education, general capital improvements, airports, water and sewer systems, housing, transportation, convention centers, and healthcare facilities). He has worked extensively throughout the country, serving a variety of municipal issuers.
His career has included serving as a banker at a major Wall Street investment banking firm. Mr. Simmons has participated in more than $51 billion in negotiated municipal bond financings during his career.
Before joining the investment banking community, Mr. Simmons served as Senior Policy Advisor to a Presidential appointee in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., where he developed policy for local school systems. From a national perspective, Mr. Simmons has considerable experience in planning, program development, policy, and legislation for public education programs.
He has served as a member of various nonprofit boards including his role as a founder and board chairman of the Texas Higher Education Initiative.
Mr. Simmons is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (Master’s Degree in Public Administration), Bishop College (Bachelor of Arts), and studied at Harvard University.