The Simpson College Board of Trustees has named Jay Byers as the 25th President of Simpson College, after a months-long search beginning in January of 2023 when Marsha Kelliher announced her intention to retire this summer. Byers is a Simpson graduate, and served as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2012, and previously served as the President and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Byers said a big goal of his is to continue the plan laid out by the Board of Trustees and President Kelliher, and enhance the path Simpson is currently on.

“A goal for me is how can we become the national best practice? Where others look to us and say Simpson is really doing things right. At a time when there is certainly plenty of headwinds in higher education, I still think there is very much a model for success and a place like Simpson that is small and nimble with a great history and a lot of momentum, we are the perfect place to do it.”

Byers will be featured on an upcoming In Depth with Dr. Bob Leonard.