Census Director Robert Groves to Leave the Commerce Department This Fall

Census Bureau Director Robert Groves will leave the Department of Commerce this fall. Dr. Groves has led the Census Bureau for almost three years. During that time, his remarkable leadership of the 2010 Census resulted in a historic, successful operation that was completed on time and $1.9 billion under budget.

Dr. Groves helped shape a strategy for planning a more cost-efficient 2020 Census and launched an employee-led operational efficiency program that saved millions of additional taxpayer dollars. He also led a formal reorganization of the Census Bureau, reestablishing the research directorate to spur technical innovation. With the implementation of a corporate hiring and job rotation program, Dr. Groves has worked to expand the breadth of skills among Census staff to effectively lead the Bureau into the 21st century. Further, in a time of tight budgets, Dr. Groves’ management has increased the efficiency of the Census Bureau. His leadership is a prime example of this administration’s commitment to do more with less and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. Most important, his efforts have greatly improved the quality of data that Census collects, which is crucial for researchers, service providers and policymakers around the country–something I can personally attest to as a frequent consumer of Census data. By bringing quantitative management techniques to the oversight of data collection, Dr. Groves has helped provide high-quality information about the nation’s people and economy.