History

Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Acting Director

Thomas L. Mesenbourg (2009 - Present): Mr. Mesenbourg is the acting director of the U.S. Census Bureau as of January 12, 2009.

Since May 2, 2008, Mesenbourg has been serving as deputy director and chief operating officer, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the federal government’s preeminent statistical agency. The Census Bureau has about 12,000 employees—nearly 5,000 at its headquarters in Suitland, MD, and the rest are based at regional offices and telephone centers across the country.

Mesenbourg is a career civil servant with more than 36 years of Census Bureau experience. He served as the Associate Director for Economic Programs from 2005 to 2008 and as the Assistant Director for Economic Programs from 1994 to 2005.

In 2004, he was the recipient of a Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Executives, the federal government’s highest award for career executives.

Mesenbourg earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston University in 1968 and his master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1971. He lives in La Plata, MD with his wife, Faith. They have two daughters and one grandchild.