|
|
|
|
|
Christopher Simpson leaving IU; Bill Stephan named interim vice president
May 23, 2001
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University announced today (May 23) that IU Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations Christopher Simpson has tendered his resignation, effective July 15. Special Assistant to the President Bill Stephan will serve as interim vice president for public affairs.
"Vice President Simpson has given the university extremely capable service in good times and difficult ones," said IU President Myles Brand. "We appreciate having the benefit of his outstanding skills in marketing, communications and governmental affairs, and we wish him well in the future."
Simpson was named vice president for public affairs and government relations in 1995. Under his leadership, the Public Affairs division has become a highly successful marketing and public relations operation, having won 17 major awards in the last five years.
"I have been very fortunate to work with an extraordinary number of superb IU faculty, staff and administrators in the last seven years," Simpson said. "Today, IU is tremendously strong in all aspects, and I hope I was able to play a very small role in our success."
Simpson and his wife, Millie, have formed Simpson Communications LLC, an Indiana-based marketing and public relations firm that will offer a variety of marketing and PR services in higher education, government, corporate and private sectors nationwide. The firm will be headquartered in Bloomington and will open an office later this summer in the Washington, D.C., area.
Interim Vice President for Public Affairs Bill Stephan is a 1984 graduate of the IU School of Law in Indianapolis and has had a long career in the public and private sectors. He worked as chief of staff for former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith and was president of the Indianapolis Private Industry Council, which focuses on workforce and economic development issues in central Indiana.
Stephan came to IU in January 2000 to head up economic development efforts in information technology and to work as a special assistant to President Myles Brand.
"I feel very privileged to serve the university in this role," said Stephan, "and I look forward to working with my many fine colleagues to promote the qualities that distinguish Indiana University as one of the nation's leading institutions of learning, research and service."
(Susan Dillman, 812-855-0850, pager 812-334-6377, sdillman@indiana.edu)