Simpson College President Jay Byers found deceased in president’s residence

Simpson College President Jay Byers has died, college officials announced to campus and the public Thursday.

He was found deceased in the Sigler House, the president’s residence, in the late morning of April 17 during a wellness check after failing to appear for morning meetings, said Simpson College Board of Trustees Chair Terry Handley during a news conference.

It was “extremely unusual” for Byers to miss meetings, Handley said, and after staff was unable to reach him, a wellness check was conducted with the aid of the Indianola Police Department.

“This is stunning and devastating news to all of us here on campus,” Handley said.

Police Chief Brian Sher said he believes no criminal element was involved in Byers’ death, but provided no further comment due to the open investigation into the incident. Byers was alone in the house when they found him.

While Byers and his family did not live in the president’s residence full time, Handley said he used it as a “point of focus” for activities and events.

“My heart breaks for the Simpson community, the Indianola community, President Byers’s family and his many, many friends,” Sher said.

April 18 classes have been canceled and grief counselors will be made available for students and staff, Handley said. He and other university leaders will meet in the morning to begin discussing next steps for selecting an interim president and additional details will be shared next week.

A 1993 graduate of Simpson, Byers was announced as president of his alma mater in July 2023 after serving as president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In his tenure as president, Byers oversaw the implementation of new scholarship programs for incoming students and formed partnerships with other institutions with the goal of elevating the university.

Handley said Byers’ love and passion for the Simpson campus and community was “infectious,” and helped him rise above other candidates during the presidential search. Byers was known and loved beyond Simpson as well, he added, and was recognized locally and at the state and federal levels for his work.

“Jay has had a tremendous amount of influence and impact during his career, and this will take some time, but we will take that time to grieve, we will take our time to recover, and then we will move forward,” Handley said. “That’s exactly what Jay would expect.”