Richard D. “Dick” Simmons, an International House Trustee from 1984-91 and a longtime supporter of the House, died on June 21, 2021 in Alexandria, VA at age 86.

Simmons’ service as an I-House Board member partly coincided with his presidency of The Washington Post Company, where he also served as Chief Operating Officer for nearly 10 years, from 1981-1991.

In 1985, Simmons spoke at an I-House “Meet Your Trustee” program, in which he fielded questions from I-House residents about fairness in the media, the quality of reporting in the US press, and whether the American media has an obligation to devote more resources to covering international events.

During his tenure on the I-House Board, he served on the Investment Committee and as Chair of the Distinguished Visitors Committee.

Prior to being named President of the Washington Post Co. by publisher Katharine Graham, Simmons, a graduate of Harvard and Columbia University School of Law, was President of Moody’s Investors Service and President and Vice Chair of Dun & Bradstreet Inc. He also served as President of the International Herald Tribune SA from 1989 to March 1996.

International House conveys its sympathy to members of the Simmons family, including grandson Tucker Simmons ’20 and his wife, Bonnie Grace Sorrell-Simmons ’20, who were active members of the I-House community in 2019-20.