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“HONORING CHARLES R. ADAMS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S13779-S13780 on Dec. 16, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING CHARLES R. ADAMS
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment and honor a man who has greatly served his community and his Nation for more than 38 years.
Charles R. Adams retired from his position of National Employee Development Center Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, in Fort Worth, TX, on November 3, 2005.
Charles learned the importance of self-development at an early age while growing up on his family farm in Logansport, LA. His parents, the late Mr. T.C. Adams and Elneva Adams, gave him and his 10 siblings firsthand experience in working the land, and he still carries those experiences with him today.
After leaving Logansport, Charles graduated from Southern University at Baton Rouge with a bachelor of science in agronomy. He received his master's degree in public administration from Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, in 1983 and has Ph.D. studies in urban and public affairs at the University of Texas in Arlington.
His impressive career with USDA spans some 38 years, having held some of the top positions in his Agency, including regional conservationist for the NRCS Southeast Region, based in Atlanta, GA, from 1997 to 2004, director of the National Employee Development Center, based in Fort Worth, TX, from 1993 to 1997, South National Technical Center associate director, also based in Fort Worth, from 1992 to 1993, and water quality coordinator at the center from 1990 to 1992.
Before that Charles served as NRCS's State Conservationist for Arizona, based in Phoenix, from 1988 to 1990, after having been the State Conservationist for Nevada, based in Reno, from 1986 to 1988. He was the Deputy State Conservationist in New Mexico, based in Albuquerque, from 1985 to 1986, after having been the Assistant State Conservationist for Operations at that location from 1984 to 1985.
Charles worked as an area conservationist in Rio Rancho, NM, from 1983 to 1984, after working as an area conservationist in Flagstaff, AZ, from 1981 to 1982. From 1978 to 1981 he served as a district conservationist in Edinburg, TX, following service from 1976 to 1978 as a district conservationist in Eastland, TX. He was a soil conservationist for the agency in Abilene, TX, from 1973 to 1976. He began his full-time career with the agency as a soil scientist in Athens, TX, in 1969.
During his tenure with USDA, Charles founded some of the Agency's most innovative approaches to outreach, including the Student Trainees in Agriculture Related Sciences, STARS, program, an initiative to introduce underserved high school students in the Southeast to agriculture, as well as NRCS's American Indian Program Delivery Initiative, an annual conference linking USDA officials with American Indian leaders to promote tribal participation in USDA programs and services.
While working for NRCS, Charles Adams has received a number of awards and recognitions. Within the last few years alone, he received several USDA Honor Awards, including the Secretary's Award for his leadership of the Southeast Region American Indian Initiative Workgroup and the Sustainable Coffee Production Team, and his work in the Agency's Streamlining and Cost-saving Initiative. He received special recognition through a national volunteer award for his longstanding dedication to the NRCS Earth Team Volunteer Program and was the recipient of the Chief's Workforce Diversity Award which praised his encouragement and promotion of professional development among his employees. In addition, his extensive outreach efforts to minorities and women earned him a nomination for the Agency's highest Civil Rights Award in 2003.
Charles is married to the former Prenella Williamson of Port Gibson, MS. In his spare time, he enjoys raising horses on his ranch in Shreveport, LA, restoring his collection antique cars and fishing with his young grandsons.
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