William R. 'Bill' Simms, 94: AFP co-founder was also a civil rights leader.

William R. "Bill" Simms, one of the co-founders of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and a key figure in the civil rights movement, died this past December 7, while visiting his son in New Mexico. He was 94.

The cause of death was not immediately known, although he had numerous health issues.

Born on Jan. 23, 1914, Simms served in the Army during World War II and then joined the American Council on Race Relations in Chicago, working as director of public relations for several years.

He was then hired by Pepsi, one of a small group of African-American salesmen hired during the late 1940s to help the company target the African-American market. The campaign broke the color barrier, one of the first such ventures to feature African-American salesmen marketing to the community and using positive images of African-Americans. It was the subject of a book, The Real Pepsi Challenge, written by Stephanie Capparell and published in 2007.

Simms earned a Master's Degree in public relations from Boston University in 1949, and taught for a year at the university. He then moved to New York to join the New York City Urban League as a public affairs officer.

He transitioned to the national office of the Urban League in 1954, working as assistant director of the Urban League Fund, which was involved in fundraising. He served for 25 years with the Urban League, most of them as director of development, and launched the organization's first national fundraising campaign. He worked with many of the key figures in America's civil rights movement and raised millions of dollars for the organization.

Upon retiring from the Urban League, Simms immediately moved into a consulting role as coordinator of fundraising for Tuskegee Institute's Centennial Program. This four-year assignment led to other consulting activities, including a Lilly Foundation-funded initiative through the United Negro College Fund to train young professionals interested in a career in fundraising.

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During his tenure at the National Urban League, Simms also was active in advancing the profession of philanthropic fundraising. In 1960, he helped to co-found the National Society of Fund Raisers (NSFR), the first national association of fundraising professionals. The organization has since evolved into the largest fundraising association in the world, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), with more than 29,000 members in 196 chapters around the world.

He was predeceased by fellow NSFR co-founders Harry Rosen of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and Benjamin Sklar of Brandeis University.

The AFP Founders' Medallion, the highest award the association gives for service, is named in his honor. He received the very first Founders' Medallion, awarded in 2004. AFP's youth in philanthropy award is also named after Simms because of his interest and work in encouraging young people to give and volunteer.

In addition to honors from AFP, Simms received the Whitney Young Medallion for outstanding dedication and service to the Urban League movement (1992), the Henry Rosso Award from the Center on Philanthropy (1995), and an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Martin University (Indianapolis, Ind., 1999).

Simms was living in Great Barrington, Mass. He is survived by a son, daughter and two grandsons.

In honor and memory of his leadership and his work in the area of youth philanthropy, the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy has established the William R. Simms Fund. The fund will support programs for young people engaged in philanthropy or fundraising. Donations can be sent to: AFP Foundation Simms Fund, 4300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300, Arlington, Va., 22203. The Simms Fund gift form can be obtained at www.afpnet.org. For questions or additional information, please contact Curtis Deane at cdeane@afpnet.org