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Recognizing Volcker Alliance President Thomas Ross

On Nov. 17, 2021, Volcker Alliance President Thomas W. Ross announced that he will step down from his current role at the end of this year.

Since joining the Volcker Alliance as president in 2016, Ross has launched several initiatives and served as a crucial voice on issues such as the federal workforce and government effectiveness. This work often brought the Partnership and the Alliance together, working closely and collaboratively to promote a stronger civil service for our nation.

“Tom Ross is an exceptional leader who has taken the Volcker Alliance to new heights,” Partnership President and CEO Max Stier said. “Although he will step down from the day-to-day leadership of the Alliance, I am pleased to know he will continue to serve on the Alliance’s board and as force for good in this arena.”

A lasting Partnership

Under Ross’ leadership, the Partnership often joined forces with the Volcker Alliance to advance critical civil service reforms. In 2017, we worked together to launch the Renewing America’s Civil Service initiative, which focused on identifying solutions to critical challenges in the government personnel system.

Together, with an advisory committee of private sector leaders with prior experience as senior leaders in government, we developed a set of guiding principles for how to make the government more agile and competitive with the private sector in recruiting and retaining talent while upholding the merit system principles that underlay our civil service.

Shortly thereafter, we worked with the Alliance to support the passage of legislative provisions that gave agencies more flexibility to hire students and recent graduates—a critical step in bringing more young people into government.

A year later, the Partnership established the Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Medal with support from Ray and Barbara Dalio. The award recognizes a federal employee who has led significant and sustained achievements during 20 or more years of public service and is presented at our annual  Samuel J. Heyman Service to American Medals® program.

We have also worked with the Alliance to educate leaders across the government and on Capitol Hill about the need for civil service reform.

These efforts helped inform a final report produced by the National Commission on National, Military and Public Service, a temporary agency created by Congress to cultivate interest in service to our country. The report’s recommendations are now pending in Congress in a bill introduced by Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California—the Inspire to Serve Act of 2021.

Tom Ross was a driving force behind these collaborations and accomplishments. We are grateful for his leadership and public service and look forward to our continued work with the Volcker Alliance in the future.

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