Jay Byers, the president of Simpson College and former longtime CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, has died unexpectedly.
Byers, 54, was found dead at the Sigler House, the president’s residence near campus, on April 17 after a welfare check around noon. Byers had been president of the private college in Indianola since July 2023.
Indianola Police Chief Brian Sher said the cause of death was under investigation but there was no reason to suspect foul play. Byers had suffered injuries in a serious automobile accident last June but had recovered and resumed his duties.
Simpson Board of Trustees chair Terry Handley said at a Simpson news conference that he had asked college staff to check on Byers with the help of Indianola police after Byers missed a scheduled morning Zoom meeting, “which was extremely unusual.”
“This is stunning and devastating news to all of us here on campus,” he said, adding the entire college was grieving.
“We are all in shock. This is not something that you expect,” Handley said. “Jay was beloved here on campus and in the greater Des Moines community. … Jay was also well known and beloved on a state level, federal level with his work in government. So Jay has had tremendous amount of influence and impact during his career.”
Classes at the college are canceled until April 22 and grief counselors were being made available. The board and other college officials will discuss April 18 who will take over interim presidential duties, Handley said.
Byers was a 1993 alumnus of Simpson and served on its Board of Trustees for 11 years prior to his appointment as president. Handley, who served on the search committee that chose Byers to replace retiring President Marsha Kelliher, said there were several well-qualified candidates, but Byers “rose above” them because of his vision for the future of Simpson, his own experience as a student, and his passion for the college.
“Jay loved this place. He loved everyone associated with Simpson College,” Handley said.
“That passion and love for Simpson was infectious,” he said.
The Simpson College Student Government Association posted on Facebook it was “devastated” to hear the news of Byers’ death.
“It was an honor to work with Jay to help make our campus a better place,” said the post, which featured an image of Byers with student leaders. “On behalf of the Simpson student body, we are sending our thoughts to President Byers’ family.”
Byers had influence on Des Moines metro and its growth
Byers was well known in the Des Moines metro for his 11 years as CEO for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, a regional economic development agency, and for several years before that as its respected expert on government affairs.
In a news release announcing Byers’ move to Simpson, Greater Des Moines Partnership officials credited him with overseeing an expansion of the group. The Partnership was then one of the country’s largest regional chambers of commerce, encompassing 24 affiliate chambers with about 6,500 members, the release said.
Byers had overseen the group during a period when the Des Moines metro grew faster than any other major Midwestern metro.
City leaders have credited Byers with increasing the effectiveness of the Partnership by quietly building strong ties with Des Moines’ most powerful and politically connected leaders.
He joined the Partnership in 2005 after serving as an assistant to then-U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell. At the time the group was still working to convert the Western Gateway from a collection of mechanics’ shops and car dealerships. It’s now the site of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, one of many downtown Des Moines projects that received state support, as well as corporate headquarters, the architecturally distinctive central library and fashionable restaurants.
Last year, the Des Moines Business Record named Byers a top 25 influential leader.
“I’m still in a state of shock,” said Gene Meyer, a former president of the Partnership who worked with Byers for nearly a decade.
“Jay was a personal friend and a tremendous community leader, who made such a difference in the greater Des Moines region,” said Meyer, a former West Des Moines mayor who had known Byers since he worked with Boswell, a Democrat who represented Iowa for 16 years.
“We’ve known each other a long, long time,” said Meyer, adding that he met Byers for breakfast last week.
Meyer said Byers loved leading Simpson College. He described Byers as “caring, thoughtful, kind, engaged and extremely well-read.”
“He was interested in all kinds of things, not just what he did for a living,” Meyer said.
As the Partnership’s CEO, Byers listened to what members of the economic development group wanted, Meyer said.
“He tried to understand everyone’s point of view, and move this region forward,” he said. “He was well respected.”
Byers will be “greatly missed by this community,” he said.
Byers leaves behind his wife, Katie, and two adult daughters, Sophie and Charlotte.
Register reporter Tyler Jett contributed to this story.
This story was updated to add new information.
