Dr. David E. Adams has extensive military, professional, and academic experience in leadership, management, and operational excellence. Prior to joining the full-time faculty, Dr. Adams was an active adjunct for the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government at Saint Vincent College, where he taught graduate and undergraduate courses in organizational culture and operational excellence. During that time, Dr. Adams also served as CEO of the Adams Strategy Group, Inc., a specialized consultancy that pursues embedding positive safety culture using strategic leadership by targeting strategy development, strategy deployment, executive coaching, focusing on courageous leadership, operational/organizational excellence structures, and high-performing teams. Dr. Adams started the Group’s work in 2002 after his return from his recall to active-duty service for the United States Navy, where he served in key anti-terrorism and force protection strategy development and deployment roles in the Atlantic theater. Dr. Adams served as the Group’s team leader and head coach.
Dr. Adams is also an evaluator and contributor to the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, the Massachusetts state agency for patient safety. In that role, he contributed to the state’s Roadmap for Patient Safety and continues to support the roadmap’s implementation with ongoing consulting. Dr. Adams is also the founder and master roaster for Cre(e)dence Coffee, a local roast-to-order specialty coffee roaster.
In previous seasons, Dr. Adams has also served as Saint Vincent’s Director of Facility Management and the first operational executive director of the McKenna School’s Kennametal Center for Operational Excellence. In addition to his work with Adams Strategy Group and at Saint Vincent, Dr. Adams served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps in various leadership capacities during a 22-year career of both active and reserve service, including a tour of duty serving Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush at the Presidential Retreat, Camp David, as the command's contingency readiness officer. In 2001, Dr. Adams was recalled to active duty for his expertise in anti-terrorism and force protection as part of Operation Noble Eagle – the President’s call-up of reserves in answer to the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on Sept. 11.
Dr. Adams holds a professional applied Doctorate in Strategic Leadership (DSL). His doctoral case study explored the effects of strategic and positive leadership on a high-performing health system team that reduced employee and patient harm by 80% in eight years using Adams’ operational excellence platform. Dr. Adams' research interests extend from his expertise in embedding positive culture through transformational and positive leadership, human and operations systems balance, operational excellence systems and strategies, and executive coaching.
A Latrobe, Pennsylvania, native, Dr. Adams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute, an MS in Operational Excellence from Saint Vincent College’s McKenna School for Business, Economics, and Government, and a Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree from Liberty University. He resides in Ligonier with his wife, Roberta. Adams’ interests include spending time with his wife, Roberta, enjoying his children and grandchildren, and growing leaders up around himself, regardless of context. And, of course, roasting ethically sourced, single-origin, organically grown specialty coffees.
Education
DSL, strategic leadership, Liberty University MS, management, Saint Vincent College BC, civil engineering, Virginia Military Institute
Courses
Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management Organizational Culture Culture in Operational Excellence Introduction to Operational Excellence Operational Excellence in Healthcare Operational Excellence Graduate Seminar Leadership Leadership and Management in Anesthesia
Research Interests
Embedding patient safety culture Positive leadership Operational excellence systems
Awards
United States Navy Meritorious Service Medal United States Navy Commendation with three stars Presidential Service Award
Selected Publications
“Leadership for Reducing Medical Errors Via Organizational Culture: A Literature Review” Journal: Measuring Business Excellence 2022
Under Review: “Executive Summary: How Positive Leadership Transformed Signature Healthcare into the Top Performing Massachusetts Hospital for Patient Safety” Betsy Lehman Institute for Patient Safety 2023
Contributor: Essential Principles for Managers: Innovative Approaches to Examining Foundational Theories of Management and Leadership, Chapter Ten HPL Publications 2018
“Taylorism and Operational Excellence: Improving on the ‘One Best Way’” Journal of Leadership and Management 2017
