MORRISVILLE, NY— Robert M. Simpson, president of the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CEO), was presented the President’s Medal of Distinction Award during Morrisville State College’s 105th commencement ceremony.
The medal is a new recognition award presented to citizens of the region, state, or nation for their significant service, leadership, and professional achievements. It is the highest non-degree honor awarded by the college.
A supporter of Morrisville State College, Simpson is a member of the Morrisville President’s Advisory Council and has been a guest lecturer for the Pyramid Brokerage Lecture Series on the campus.
“Robert Simpson is a visionary for our community,” said MSC President David Rogers, who presented Simpson with the award. “He has led the region to unparalleled heights of economic development and secured funding from the state of New York in his role as co-Chair of the CNY Regional Economic Development Council."
“His exemplary service and dedication to the students, faculty and staff at Morrisville State College has created a more positive and engaging community both for our campus and our entire region. Rob’s continued leadership in Central New York ensures a promising path forward for us all,” Rogers added.
“For this award that is based on community service, it’s my parents who are responsible for instilling me with values and raising me in a home that believed in public service and service to others,” Simpson said about his giving roots.
“On behalf of my staff and all of our partners and members throughout this great region who work with us, I accept this award with humility and gratitude,” Simpson said.
“As you close out your collegiate career and look forward to a long life for which you are now exceptionally well prepared, I challenge you, Class of 2016, to find your North Star," Simpson said. Find your compass that is bigger and more important than yourselves—as a volunteer, as a parent, as a missionary to a cause that you believe in, or as a teacher, a professor or a mentor. No matter what direction your life may take, never lose sight of that True North. Do that and your life will always be more full, and more rich than any job or bank account.”
About Robert M. Simpson
In 2011, Simpson was appointed by the governor to serve as co-chair of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council (CNY REDC), a commission responsible for coordinating economic development for Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego counties. In this role, he has helped lead regional strategies and develop investment priorities for competitive state funding, ultimately securing $844 million for the region – more than any other region in the state.
Simpson actively engaged the Brookings Institution to develop the region’s most sophisticated planning efforts to date, including Metropolitan Business, Export, and Foreign Direct Investment plans.
Simpson serves in leadership roles across CenterState CEO’s affiliates and partner organizations, including Syracuse’s business incubator, The Tech Garden; the NUAIR Alliance; the CNY International Business Alliance, CenterState CEO’s Foundations, Electronics Park LLC, and Benefit Specialists of NY. He holds board and advisory seats with the CNY Biotech Accelerator, the University Hill Corporation, and the Downtown Committee of Syracuse.
He also serves on numerous community boards, including the Central New York Technology Development Organization, Syracuse 20/20, the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance, and others.
Simpson’s career accolades include 40 UNDER 40 recognition by CNY BizEvents (2006); the Salvation Army’s Community Team Spirit Award (2010); Onondaga Citizens League Citizen of the Year (2010), and Boy Scouts of America Boypower Honoree (2016).
Before joining CenterState CEO, Simpson worked for Defenders of Wildlife, in Washington, DC; served as policy director for the State Environmental Resource Center, Madison, Wisconsin; and served as assistant legislative director for the Office of John D. Rockefeller, IV, in the United States Senate.
A native Central New Yorker who graduated from Colgate University in 1997, Simpson earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He and his wife, Corinne Ribble, and son, Ben, reside in Syracuse.
Morrisville State’s curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.