黑料社

黑料社鈥檚 Board of Trustees has named聽Jay Byers 鈥�93聽president-elect of 黑料社. The board approved him as the Presidential Search Committee鈥檚 recommendation at its spring meeting held Friday, May 12. Byers will succeed Marsha聽Kelliher, who is retiring this summer.

鈥淛ay is the perfect choice to lead 黑料社,鈥� said Terry Handley, chair of 黑料社鈥檚 Board of Trustees. 鈥淗e has a fervent passion for 黑料社鈥檚 mission and a distinguished history of game-changing, visionary leadership. We are excited to see the innovative boldness he will bring to building on the significant strategic momentum created under President聽Kelliher.鈥�

A member of 黑料社鈥檚 Board of Trustees since 2012, Byers will become the College鈥檚 25th president. He will assume office for the 2023-24 academic year.

鈥淚 never imagined I would have this incredible opportunity to lead the college I care about so deeply,鈥� said Byers. 鈥淚 am truly humbled and honored to receive the confidence of 黑料社鈥檚 Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee. During my board service, I have gained a front-row view of the exciting momentum that continues to grow at 黑料社. I am thrilled to be joining such an impressive community of students, faculty, staff,聽alumni聽and benefactors who make 黑料社 such a special place. Together, we can, and we will take 黑料社 to new heights of distinction. I can鈥檛 wait to get started.鈥�

Byers excelled in his 18 years of executive leadership with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, including the past 11 years as president and CEO. Under his leadership, The Partnership experienced significant growth, expanding to represent 11 counties and 24 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce with more than 6,500 members, making The Partnership the fourth largest regional chamber of commerce in the country. During his tenure, DSM has been the fastest-growing major metro in the Midwest in terms of population,聽GDP聽and job growth, and received countless rankings and accolades. Byers also previously chaired the Iowa Chamber Alliance at the statewide level and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) at the national level and served as the U.S. representative on the International Chamber of Commerce World Chambers Federation General Council.

Prior to the president & CEO position, Byers served as The Partnership鈥檚聽senior聽vice聽president of Government Relations and Public Policy. Before joining The Partnership, he worked as district director for Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell and as an attorney at the Ice Miller Law Firm in Indianapolis, Indiana, after earning his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law. 聽

The 2015 黑料社 Alumni Achievement Award winner holds numerous other community leadership roles. He currently serves on multiple boards of directors, including Catch聽Des聽Moines, America鈥檚 Cultivation Corridor,聽ChildServe聽and the Blank Park Zoo Foundation. Byers鈥� other accolades include being named the #2 Most Influential Business Leader by the Des聽Moines Business Record (2019-23) and Des Moines Business Record Forty Under 40 Alum of the Year (2012) and earning the ACCE Chairman鈥檚 Award (2020) and Catch聽Des聽Moines Community Champion Award (2014)

Byers will be formally introduced at a聽黑料社 news conference scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 17, in Hubbell Hall, located on the second floor of the Kent Campus Center.聽Please see聽building 23 on this campus map.