Adams comes full circle to Voinovich School Advisory Board after working in Voinovich administration

Ted Adams got a firsthand look at George Voinovich’s philosophy on public-private partnerships and is looking to help continue his former boss’s legacy as an advisor for the OHIO school named for the former governor and U.S. Senator.

In his second year on the Advisory Board for the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, Adams, who is of counsel for the law firm Bricker, Graydon, Wyatt, brings extensive experience working with large corporations as well as an appreciation for Voinovich’s support for public-private partnerships.

Before he burnished his corporate credentials in executive roles at Starbucks and L Brands, Adams worked for various state government officials including former attorney general Betty Montgomery and Voinovich, where one of his colleagues was Greg Browning, the current Advisory Board chair and former chair of the Ohio University Board of Trustees.

The Adams-Browning collaboration would continue in the corporate world and led to Adams’ participation as a Voinovich School advisor, a position he described as an honor.

Asked about his contributions to the board, Adams referred to the recent book written by Browning, “Becoming the Voinovich School,” which detailed its history including the contributions of former dean Mark Weinberg.

“That sort of highlights the essence of what the advisory committee really is trying to do – contribute to and add to that attitude and mindset for action,” he said. “It's all about getting things done, which was kind of the Voinovich model.”

“When I went to work for them, it was about pulling people together, the right people together, to get things done, and I think the school embodies that,” Adams added. “And they do it in a quiet way. They’re not boastful about it, but if you get down there and you spend time, you're really wowed with the things that they have going on.”

Those include the school’s extensive public-private partnerships on a number of fronts, including health, environmental and economic development.

“I'm really impressed with their action around collaboration. They really do partner with stakeholders in the region and have a very collaborative approach to try and solve problems,” he said.

Aside from those partnerships, Adams noted the school’s focus on preparing students for their careers through various internship programs and other initiatives.

“What I love about OU is they're filling a gap for their student cohorts, helping to prepare them to land in a smooth way into the crazy world that we live in now, and I'm really impressed with that,” he said.

“In terms of what I hope to contribute, it’s just adding to the diversity of experiences. I worked for two large, publicly traded companies on the global market and have had a lot of exposure to a lot of different things in business and in government. and I think that Greg believed that I could bring some of that experience.”

Adams said of his invitation to join the board, “I feel like I'm the lucky one to be able to serve.”

“It's an opportunity to contribute to something that's already working,” he said. “I spent the first 11 years of my career in public service, so I see the value of what they do. I get who they are in their ethos, and I was fortunate that Voinovich kind of embodied that and they're connected in an inextricable way, so I've tried to pattern my professional experiences in that way.”

Adams’ law firm (Bricker, Graydon, Wyatt) also has strong ties to the Appalachian Region by representing several school districts and numerous other clients. The firm has also done work with the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress, he said.