Newsroom Archive

Thomas L. Mesenbourg

Former Deputy Director, U.S. Census Bureau

Thomas L. Mesenbourg spent his entire 40-year career at the Census Bureau, most recently serving as Acting Director from August 2012 to August 2013. He was the Census Bureau's Deputy Director from May 2008 until August 2012. He also served as Acting Director from January to July 2009. He was the Associate Director for Economic Programs from 2005 to 2008.

In October 2012, Mesenbourg received the Roger W. Jones Award from American University for exceptional leadership among people who devoted themselves to federal public service. In 2011, Mesenbourg was the recipient of the Julius Shiskin Memorial Award for Economic Statistics; and in 2004, he was awarded the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Executives, the government's highest award for career executives. He joined the Census Bureau in 1972.

Mesenbourg earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Boston University in 1968 and his master's from Penn State in 1971. He lives in La Plata, Md., with his wife, Faith. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.