based on oral history from cur- technical work and more focused
ASA Past President Fritz Scheuren rent and former staff. What I have on human capital issues. In fact,
recited the following during
learned is that, despite SOI’s proud one of the initiatives of which I am
Petska’s retirement party
history, our success has ebbed and most proud—that of delegating
flowed over time. responsibility and creating cross-
Notes on Tom’s Retirement
For example, in the 1960s, functional teams—was largely
the majority of SOI’s IT staff based on my faith in people’s good
I will speak from my personal knowledge
was moved to an IRS-centralized judgment and willingness to seek
of Tom. In a way, though, I am a stand-in for
group in Detroit, and, over time, more involvement and responsi-
many others sitting here or wishing they were.
the level of support began to bility, as well as my belief that no
What a man.
decline. Since the mid-1980s, one has a monopoly on vision and
Tom and I have been professional colleagues
under the joint leadership of that I simply needed to address
for at least 25 years (at SSA and IRS and after).
Scheuren and Mike Leszcz,
those areas in SOI for which no
He is a role model for the rest of us. I count
we were able to procure hard-
one had responsibility. I called this
him [as] a friend.
ware and software and rebuild
my “white space” initiative because
We share most of the same values. Tom, even our internal IT capabilities, the
it was about addressing and man-
before I knew him, was working on income results of which are evident today
aging the white space on our
distribution statistics. This may have begun in increased timeliness and qual-
organizational chart—the areas
about the time I was working at the OEO, on
ity of SOI studies. Clearly, SOI is
for which there were important
poverty and related income estimates, an inter-
performing at a higher level than
issues to address but no one (other
est we both continue [to be] committed to.
ever in our 90+-year history, and
than me) had the responsibility of
Tom has a gift for listening that I have sel-
having our own IT function has
addressing them.
dom seen in others in high positions. You always
definitely been, and is, a signifi-
Some of the white space ini-
know he cares. He should not play poker!
cant factor.
tiatives that were most successful
Tom is a scholar, too, and has the gifts of a
Over these eight years, we
were cross-functional teams that
great communicator. His SOI News “letters”
have had many challenges and
addressed our publications and
have been a treasure for all of us. I hope these
successes on the technical side
web site, improved our public-use
will be collected and edited for posterity.
and, often, on “people issues.”
files, facilitated our software con-
Tom understands the difference between
On the technical side, SOI is a
versions, and adapted programs
leadership and managership. I am writing a
complex program, largely because
to efficiently assimilate electroni-
we piggyback on IRS compliance
book right now on statistical leadership and
cally filed tax return data. In each
operations and have to deal with
will be including Tom among those inter-
of these initiatives, visionary staff
a decentralized system. Imagine,
viewed (if he will let me). After all, those who
came together in cross-functional
for a moment, redesigning an
did not know him have much to learn, too.
teams to develop optimal solu-
SOI program in which statistics
It is time for others to speak, so let me sum-
tions to significant challenges.
were a high IRS priority so that all
marize. I talked about Tom as a friend, a schol-
Although the white space ini-
work flow could be streamlined
ar, a role model, a communicator, yet a listener,
tiatives often worked well, I still
to improve statistical processing
too, a leader and not the hated manager that
spent many hours addressing
operations? For people at SOI, it
Deming always railed against, who “thinged”
other human capital challenges.
is virtually impossible to imagine
people, rather than inspired them.
For example, since over time we
this because the history of SOI
lost many talented people, devot-
Last point, and also number eight, since
has been to develop rigorous and
ing more time to recruiting, hir-
Tom was the eighth SOI director. For those of
systematic statistical information
ing, developing, and promoting
you who are Chinese here, I need not remind
with minimal disruption to the
became a major priority. I ben-
you that eight is lucky, but not nearly lucky
IRS tax return pipeline. Then,
efited by having an extraordinary
enough. I pray that SOI will continue long
given our complicated logistics,
one-person human capital advisor
after this week and eventually that there will be
we deploy and improve sampling,
in Denise Herbert. In addition
at least 88 directors (double happiness), though
editing, and disseminating capa-
to replenishing the ranks with
none of us here will live to that day. So Carpe bilities; implement software con-
talented people, we had many
Diem—let’s celebrate this day and this man, versions; develop new products
other human capital challenges,
this Mensch. and services; and adapt to the new
including the government-wide
Thank you, Tom, and God bless you program for mandated e-filing.
initiative to increase use of pri-
Barbara, Ryan, and all the Petskas, both here The world of SOI really is com-
vate contracts, limitations on
today or coming soon. plex; but despite these complica-
promotions and upward mobil-
And may God bless all the rest of you
tions, we do a good job.
ity, dealing with an “NIH” (not
here, too!
When I became director, I
invented here) mentality, and,
became more removed from the
most recently, addressing an
54 AmstAt News JUNE 2009
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