Curt Simmons, the Science Center of Iowa’s (SCI) current senior vice president and chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO beginning Sept. 1.

Simmons will succeed Art Wittmack, who has served as president and CEO since the summer of 2011.

During his time as president, Wittmack helped develop a long-term strategy for the organization’s vision and leadership. He and Simmons have been collaborating for the last year to prepare Simmons to take the leadership reins.

Simmons has spent 25 years in the museum industry, including six with SCI. He is also active in Gov. Terry Branstad’s Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Advisory Council’s working groups and is a member of the five-person team established by the Iowa Department of Education to implement the new K-12 “Next Generation Science Standards.”