Brady Leonard Adams (February 28, 1945 – April 6, 2015) was an American politician and banker from Grants Pass.
Adams was born on February 28, 1945, in Vanport, Oregon, a community built next to the Columbia River during World War II to provide housing for Portland's shipyard workers.
[1][2][3][4] Adams graduated from North Salem High School in 1963 and then went on to attend Portland State University.
[1][2][3][4] In 1965, Adams married Patricia Jean Anderson in a wedding ceremony held in Salem, Oregon.
He quickly got involved in a wide variety of charitable activities and community projects, serving on the board of directors of many local non-profit groups.
During his tenure in the senate, he was widely recognized as a tough negotiator who worked with Oregon's Democratic governor, John Kitzhaber, and fellow legislators to find middle-ground compromises that resolved important contemporary issues.
He faced Drenon Carlyle of Medford in the Republican primary while Rebecca Brown of Williams and Robert Lee of Grants Pass competed for the Democratic nomination for the seat.
[13][14] During the session, he criticized the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Department for ignoring local planning commissions.
Prior to the 1994 general election, the media reported that Adams would be a contender for a Republican leadership position when the state senate was organized for the 1995 legislative session.
During the session, Adams served as the majority leader, helping the President of the Senate, Gordon H. Smith, push the Republicans' legislative agenda.
Among other things, he said the Republican majority would focus on the state's budget process, education reform, and public financing for child care.
Nevertheless, last-minute negotiation between Adams and the governor produced compromises that allowed key legislation to be passed and signed into law.
As a result, local media speculated that Adams might run for governor against the popular incumbent Democrat, John Kitzhaber.
[42] Adams announced that his top priority for the 1999 legislative session would be to pass a tax cut for middle-class families.
Oregon's Democratic governor said he might support the tax cut depending on how the Republican legislature planned to replace the lost revenue.
Adams successfully pushed through a tax cut in the form of an expansion of the child-care credit for middle and low-income families.
[39][48] After the session, the media highlighted Adams as the state's most capable leader, noting that he treated everyone in both parties with respect and championed compromises that were the key to getting things done in an otherwise contentious political environment.
He also remained active in state and local politics and supported numerous community service groups across southern Oregon.
[4][51][52][53] As president of Evergreen Federal Bank, Adams was an important business leader in Grants Pass.
Over the years, Adams served on the board of directors for more than 20 non-profit organizations and led over 50 community projects in Grants Pass and the broader Josephine County area.
[1][3][4][7] In 2016, the Oregon legislature passed a concurrent resolution recognizing Adams for his personal leadership and his many years of public service.