Beverly & James Baker Receive '12 James G. Simms Leadership Award

by Adam Frazier
November 8, 2012

Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) honored local education advocates Beverly B. & James K. Baker with the 2012 James G. Simms Leadership Award during its annual Circle of Leadership Celebration on November 8 at Mill Race Center.

The award—established in honor of the late James G. Simms for his vision, perseverance, and dedication in founding the IUPUC campus in the 1970s—recognizes inspiring individuals who have generously given their time, dedication, and leadership to advance IUPUC’s mission.

A community-minded couple, the Bakers have a deep passion for education and a long history of support for IUPUC.

Bev Baker joined IUPUC’s Board of Advisors in 1976, a position she held on and off through 2006. Serving as chair of the board from 1984-86, Baker is recognized for her influence in shaping IUPUC’s development as a campus focused on serving Columbus and the surrounding region.

Her style as a behind-the-scenes leader with a deep passion for education led her to offer dozens of annual scholarships over the years for local high school students who possessed much academic and professional potential but had limited resources for pursuing higher education. Her actions helped change the lives of these students and the community.

As the former president and CEO of Arvin Industries, Jim Baker chaired IUPUC’s

1983-84 capital campaign, an effort in which he is credited with single-handedly raising the funds needed to secure a permanent home for IUPUC and complete extensive renovations to the building so that it would be conducive for teaching and learning.

Baker helped lead a national effort for public school reform as vice chair of the Washington-based New American Schools initiative, a program that raised more than $165 million to improve U.S. schools by bringing university presidents and corporate chief executives together for the good of higher education.  He served on numerous national nonprofit boards and was a three-year trustee for DePauw University.

For more information about the James G. Simms Leadership Award, contact Brenda Vogel, director of development and external affairs at IUPUC, via e-mail to bvogel9@iupuc.edu or 812.348.7387.