James G. Simms Leadership Award
The James G. Simms Leadership Award at IU Columbus is awarded to inspiring individuals who have generously given their time, dedication, and leadership to advance IU Columbus’s mission.
Simms, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rose Polytechnic Institute (now Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) and an MBA from Indiana University, came to Columbus in 1950 to work at what was then known as the Cummins Engine Company. A Columbus resident for many years, Simms joined the J.J.B. Hilliard & Son company, now known as Hilliard Lyons LLC, where he spent 33 years as a branch manager and then vice president.
Simms was dedicated to community service in Columbus, Nashville, and other communities throughout southern Indiana. In the early 1970s, he was an integral member of a committee charged with establishing an extension of Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) in Columbus. Even after the state legislature initially denied funding to establish the campus, Simms worked behind the scenes to make what is now IU Columbus a reality.
Nominations
The recipient of the award is recognized each year at the university’s Circle of Leadership celebration, which is typically held in November. Contact the Office of Development & External Affairs at IU Columbus for complete details, including nomination instructions and due dates.
