David J Adams

David Adams has served as Indiana Secretary of Commerce and a member of Governor Mike Braun’s cabinet since his appointment in January 2025. In his role, Sec. Adams oversees multiple state agencies including the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Workforce Development, the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, the Indiana Arts Commission, the Indiana State Fair and the Ports of Indiana, driving economic opportunity for the state and fostering an entrepreneurial environment for innovation.

Prior to becoming secretary of commerce, Adams served as a Managing Partner of Adams Advisors LLC and a Senior Advisor with the Boston Consulting Group where he leveraged his expertise on education, economic and workforce development to advise corporations, state and local governments and higher education leaders on economic growth and transformation.

Adams also previously served as Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, during which he put Indiana on a course that improved the state’s CNBC ‘America’s Top States for Business’ workforce ranking from 48th to currently 14th and successfully secured legislation and financial resources to support Governor Eric  Holcomb’s workforce agenda. He also led the turnaround and merger of Indiana’s nearly $50 billion pension systems under former Governor Mitch Daniels.

Prior to his time with the Department of Workforce Development, Adams was the first chief innovation officer at the  University of Cincinnati, where he was the visionary leader in the formation of the Cincinnati Innovation District. His work was adopted by the state and became the model for the state of Ohio which has resulted in an additional  45,000 STEM graduates, $6 billion in additional research and tens of thousands of high-value jobs for the state.  Adams also previously held positions as chief administrative officer at the University of Louisville and CEO of the  Institute for Product Realization – an innovation district focused on connecting the economic engine of the university with the business community.  

Adams is a lifelong entrepreneur and has successfully engaged that spirit in a variety of different industries. He was a member of the leadership team that formed a business that became a NASDAQ 50 company and created the supply chain management space. He has started, invested and successfully exited numerous companies. Adams’ work ranges from engaging start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, generating over $1 billion in new revenue throughout his career. He has served in executive leadership roles both nationally and internationally.

As a first-generation college graduate, Adams is passionate about education and was a founding board member of the Enlace Academy in Indianapolis. He is a graduate of the Speed Scientific School of Engineering at the University of Louisville and holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering.  

Adams was previously awarded one of  ‘Indiana’s Leading Entrepreneurial Business Mentors’ by the state of Indiana,  has made numerous national media appearances, is a frequent speaker and author, and is a contributing writer for  Forbes.