Wise Elders
Adams Wasn’t Afraid to Be
Unconventional
Monty Wood, U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office
null
Sometimes you have to be unconventional
to solve your problems
null
.
“I came in to discover that nothing was After a ‘temporary’ assignment that last-
done,” Adams said. “So, I had my secre- ed 16 years in Jeffersonville, Adams spent
tary send through a request for 300 flea about nine months as chief of the Data
collars. After fielding about five telephone User Services Division. During this time
calls, including a high-pitched one from in 1986, the division mastered the U.S.
my division chief, the place was fumigated Census Bureau’s first data CD.
Don Adams (left) and Tom Mesenbourg
the next weekend. The paper mite problem “It cost almost $25,000. Today, you can
Photo by Paul Shaw
went away.” burn one at home on a $100 unit,” he said.
During Jeffersonville’s ever-expanding Adams then became chief of the Foreign
operations in the 1970s and ’80s, work- Trade Division, a position he held until the
D
on’t be afraid to innovate. Don’t ers needed to quickly move materials from end of 1993.
be afraid to change. Don’t be storage to the preparation areas—but For much of 1993, a year of reorganiza-
afraid to be unconventional. loading docks, ramps, and railroad tracks tion in the Economic Directorate, Adams
That’s the philosophy Don Adams separated the buildings. A bridge was need- was not only the assistant director for
lived during his 30 years with the U.S. ed, and they couldn’t wait years to have Economic Programs, but also the acting chief
Census Bureau. it built. of the Foreign Trade Division, Construction
Adams spent 16 of those years at what “We found that the local National Division, and Industry Division—all at the
is now the National Processing Center in Guard had a quick-erect bridge used in same time.
Jeffersonville, Indiana, serving as direc- warfare,” Adams said. “Only one guy in the He retired on December 31, 1993, hav-
tor from 1976 to 1985. He returned guard unit knew how to erect it, and we ing earned the Department of Commerce’s
to Suitland, Maryland, headquarters couldn’t hire him because of double federal Silver and Gold Medal awards. He would
to become chief of the Data User Services pay. So, we contracted with his wife. We go on to work around the world as a consul-
Division, then chief of the Foreign provided the brawn; he provided the brain. tant on trade matters for the International
Trade Division. We got a bridge; his wife got paid.” Monetary Fund.
During those years, he said “some- Adams said some buildings at the time “I know your days are busy with schedul-
times it’s necessary to work outside the had no lights, no heat, and no bathrooms. ing, staffing, budgets, and meetings; how-
norm” to accomplish goals. One of those They had to rent toilet facilities, rent ever, be careful that your long-range plan-
times was during the height of processing trailers with heat and air conditioning, ning and vision is not limited by those daily
forms in Jeffersonville for the 1969 Census and outfit workers with miner’s lights on pressures,” Adams advises. “Make time to
of Agriculture. their heads. address the big picture.”
“About 300 clerks and keyers started “Sometimes you have to be unconven- The Wise Elders Program, launched in
complaining about a rash and itching on tional to solve your problems,” Adams said 2004, allows our more experienced employees
their arms,” Adams said May 8 during with a chuckle. tell stories and address questions on leader-
the ninth installment of the Wise Elders Adams joined the U.S. Census Bureau ship in the federal statistical system. Previous
Program in the headquarters auditorium. in 1963 as an Industry Division analyst, speakers include Dan Levine, Joe Waksberg,
“They said paper mites were biting them.” attending the same orientation class as Margaret Martin, Jay Siegel, Ivan Fellegi, Bob
Adams requested the building be fumi- former director Louis Kincannon. He Parker, Janet Norwood, Vince Barabba, and
gated, but was denied because the pest con- would move to the Demographic Surveys James Holmes. DVDs of presentations and
trol company said there was no such thing Division, mostly working on the Current brochures about presenters are available in
as paper mites. Population Survey. the U.S. Census Bureau’s library. n
10 AMSTAT NEWS AUGUST 2008
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68