Census Bureau gets interim leadership after director’s departure

Secretary of Commerce Wilber Ross announced the interim leadership of the U.S. Census Bureau June 29.

With the retirement of Census Bureau Director John Thompson going into effect June 30, the leadership position and duties he held are to be given to interim leaders. The interim leaders, Ron Jarmin and Enrique Lamas, are to take over the non-executive functions and duties for the positions of director and deputy director, respectively.

Jarmin currently serves as the associate director for economic programs at the Bureau. In this position, Jarmis provides the foundation for key measures of economic performances. He started his career with the Census Bureau in 1992 and has served as the assistant director for economic studies.

Lamas currently serves as the associate director for demographic programs at the Bureau where he oversees the Demographic Programs Directorate and provides accurate information on the characteristics, distribution, and the size of the American population. Lamas began his career in 1980 with the Census Population Division and has also served as chief of the Population Division, assistant division chief in the Demographic Surveys Division, chief of the Poverty and Wealth Statistics Branch, and chief of the Labor Force and Transfer Programs Statistics Branch.

“Both Mr. Jarmin and Mr. Lamas have had long, distinguished careers at Census, and the Bureau will be well served by their leadership.” Ross said. “The Census Bureau, along with the 2020 Census, are in good hands with these two men at the helm until the Senate confirms new leadership.”

The interim leaders must follow the Vacancies Reform Act which declares “only individuals designated by the president and authorized first assistants are to serve in acting capacities for the presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed positions” unless the secretary of commerce “direct[s] eligible employees to perform the role currently vacant.”