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     The U.S. Census Bureau has appointed Jeff T. Behler as director of its Detroit Regional Office. The Detroit office oversees data collection, data dissemination and geographic operations for the Census Bureau in Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.

     Behler leaves his position as deputy director of the Dallas Regional Office, where he helped manage more than 65,000 temporary workers for the 2010 Census and more than 50 local census offices throughout Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

     Behler takes over an office of 42 employees in Detroit and a field staff of about 400 spread out over a three-state area. The field representatives interview respondents and complete surveys that measure the year-round economic health and well-being of the American people.

     “The Detroit region has faced many challenges over the past few years, including a drop in population,” Behler said. “I look forward to working directly with the hard-working staff in place and helping to make a difference in the data collection and dissemination activities throughout the communities in this region.”

     Behler began his Census Bureau career in the Detroit Regional Office in 1997 as a survey statistician for various programs. In 2002, he transferred to Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland, Md., to work in the Decennial Management Division as a project manager for census tests in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

     In 2005, he returned to Field Division and served as chief of the Housing and Health Surveys Branch. Behler transferred to the Dallas Regional Office in December 2006 to serve as the assistant regional director. In 2007, he was selected as the deputy regional director and was responsible for a wide range of activities related to the 2010 Census.

     While in Dallas, he had the opportunity to work closely with local leaders in the Mississippi Delta area, hurricane-affected areas in Louisiana and Mississippi and the border communities between Texas and Mexico.

     “It has been very rewarding to see the importance and impact of our work at the community level,” Behler said.

     Behler has a bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics and actuarial science from Central Michigan University. He and his wife, Marcey, have two daughters, Abbey and Molley, ages 9 and 6.