I received word yesterday that Christopher Simpson, the CEO of higher ed consulting firm SimpsonScarborough, died on Sunday, Feb. 24, at age 52, following a long bout with cancer. SimpsonScarborough has posted a fitting online memorial for Christopher on its website.
I worked with Christopher and his firm off and on last year during our campus’s transition from the University of Missouri-Rolla to Missouri University of Science and Technology. Best known for his crisis communications expertise, Christopher was first introduced to me in just that vein. He was presenting through a CASE online seminar on crisis communications, and it was evident that he knew his stuff. Several pointers from that session helped to inform our current crisis communications plan. Christopher was just getting started as a consultant at that time, following higher ed work at Indiana University and elsewhere. Like many of us who get into higher ed marketing, he started out in the news business.
My thoughts and prayers are with Christopher’s family, his partners at SimpsonScarborough, and his many friends and clients.
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Andy writes! 
That is VERY sad. I had the good fortune to learn from Chris Simpson at a CCAE meeting a few years ago. An impressive presenter, and someone I got a good vibe from.
My condolences to his family, friends, and firm.