Robert S. Adler

Robert S. Adler
Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Assumed office
August 7, 2009
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Position established
Personal details
Political party Democratic Party
Alma mater University of Pennsylvania
University of Michigan

Robert S. Adler is a consumer advocate in the United States. He is a member of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and formerly served as its acting chairman.[1]

Work

Adler was a Professor of Legal Studies and the Luther H. Hodges, Jr. Scholar in Law & Ethics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.[2] He has served as the Associate Dean of the MBA Program and as Associate Dean for the School’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Program.[2] A recipient of teaching awards both within the business school and university-wide, Adler’s research and teaching focus on consumer protection, product liability, ethics, regulation and negotiation.[2] Before joining the UNC faculty, Adler served as Counsel on the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce where he advised on CPSC legislative and oversight issues under the leadership of Henry Waxman.[2] Prior to that, he spent eleven years (from 1973-1984) as an attorney-advisor to two commissioners at the CPSC in Washington, D.C.[2] One of the commissioners he worked for was David O. Pittle, an original appointee at the inception of the CPSC.[2] Before joining the CPSC’s staff, Adler served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Pennsylvania Justice Department, where he headed the southwest regional office of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Consumer Protection.[2] Adler has been elected six times to the board of directors of Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine.[2] He also served on the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team and co-authored the agency review report on the CPSC.[2] Adler graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and received his J.D. from the University of Michigan.[2]

Positions

During his tenure at the CPSC, Adler has strongly supported addressing safety concerns for senior citizens, arguing that “injuries and death from consumer products begin to accelerate dramatically once [consumers] hit age 75.”[3] Adler has also criticized provisions in the CPSC’s organic statute that govern information-sharing by the CPSC.[3]

He has also engendered criticism for shifting his position on a contentious issue. After voting one way on the requirements for public pool drain covers, Adler changed his vote in favor of a more restrictive, expensive definition requiring a particular type of drain for swimming pools.[4] In response, his colleague and critic Nancy Nord said, “What’s missing from this conversation is that this isn’t all about you, Bob.” She said seeking comments only on the effective date is like saying, ”We're going to guillotine you. What date would be convenient?”[4] Adler said that he took offense at this criticism.[4]

Selected works

References

  1. ↑ See https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/News-Releases/2014/Robert-Adler-Becomes-Acting-Chairman-of-US-Consumer-Product-Safety-Commission/
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 White House Office of the Press Secretary (5 May 2009). "President Obama Fills New CPSC Posts - The White House". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  3. 1 2 Adler, Robert (August 2, 2012). "Statement at Hearing of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade of the House Energy & Commerce Committee on Oversight of the Consumer Product Safety Commission" (PDF). Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Korte, Gregory (29 September 2011). "Consumer panel reverses itself on pool safety – USATODAY.com". USA Today (McLean, VA: Gannett). ISSN 0734-7456. Retrieved July 16, 2013.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Position established		 Commissioner of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
2009-present 		Incumbent
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