
Jack Adams
- Title: Executive Director, Government Affairs
- Company: Calgon Carbon Corporation, a Kuraray Company
Jack Adams provides a unique blend of science, engineering, and public policy experience along with perspective as an experienced and practiced business and technology manager. He is widely recognized for his innovative approaches to management, technology, manufacturing, energy, environmental, and information technology issues. Adams developed a variety of new products and manufacturing processes and has led venture and commercialization activities for a variety of newly developed products and advanced technologies. He participates in various manufacturing and business environments to improve efficiency and operational effectiveness while providing a market-driven perspective for new ideas and sustainable development.
Over a career spanning more than 40 years, Adams developed the program and operating structure of various initiatives to address issues of national of importance for private industry and federal government organizations, including agriculture, defense, commerce (international trade), energy, environmental protection, and the National Aeronautical Space Administration.
Since January 2010, Adams has led the Government Affairs activities for Calgon Carbon Corporation. Calgon Carbon is the world’s largest provider of activated carbon products and services for applications ranging from clean air and water to defense CBRN protection to food/pharmaceutical purification.
In this Government Affairs role, he applies his technology and management experience to advance legislative policy and government funding initiatives. Adams has been appointed to various environmental technology (ETTAC) and international trade (DEC) committees by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He has negotiated and managed a variety of international technology transfer and commercialization activities with public and private organizations in Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Soviet Union (Russia), Spain, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Adams received university and department honors while earning an MBA in Economics and B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology from the University of Pittsburgh.