Tulsa World: Volunteering led Adelson to politics

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Volunteering led Adelson to politics

STARTED AS VOLUNTEER
Democratic mayoral candidate Tom Adelson: Although politics wasn't on his radar, he said his work with Head Start ultimately led him to the state Senate, where he has served for the past five years. Adelson's transition to the Senate came at the urging of others. In his first political race, he defeated Bartlett for the Senate District 33 seat.

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
Published: 11/1/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 11/1/2009 3:46 AM

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It was the first day of a Head Start program that had been relocated from an apartment complex into Houston Elementary School in far north Tulsa.

Tom Adelson was helping serve breakfast to a group of 4-year-olds who were dutifully eating whatever was put before them.

Somewhat amazed at the calm atmosphere, Adelson said he turned to one of the teachers and commented: "Gosh, these kids are so behaved. With my kids, the breakfast table is helter-skelter in the morning."

He said he'll never forget the teacher's response.

"She just looked at me and said, 'Yes, it's because they're hungry.' "

It was at that moment, the Democratic mayoral candidate said, that his professional life took a turn.

"It really shook me," he

said. "I felt so embarrassed and ashamed. Here in my own community, I didn't know the extent of that particular want."

That was more than a decade ago, as Adelson volunteered with a local agency for six months to oversee the relocation of Head Start programs. He was in a career break after working for the oil and gas company Nadel and Gussman, founded by his grandfather.

Adelson, 44, said he learned a lot from his "Grandpa Gussman" about the importance of family and giving back to help the less fortunate. Everyone in his family is active in his or her own way, he said.

Although politics wasn't on his radar, he said, his work with Head Start ultimately led him to the state Senate, where he has served for the past five years.

Adelson has an English degree from Stanford University and a law degree from Southern Methodist University, where he graduated at the top of his class.

Following his volunteer work, he opened a private law practice and began helping parents of Head Start children who fell victim to predatory lenders.

His work expanded to include health-care issues, which brought him and then-state Sen. Brad Henry together to work on legislation related to lending companies and health care.

When Henry became the governor, he asked Adelson to run his transition team and look at state health-care spending. Later, Adelson was Henry's secretary of health from May 2003 to May 2004.

With the state facing budget cuts that would result in 70,000 children losing their health insurance, Adelson took the lead in establishing the Insure Oklahoma program, which provides Oklahomans access to an affordable health-care option.

Adelson's transition to the Senate came at the urging of others. In his first political race, he defeated Bartlett for the Senate District 33 seat.

"They told me I could be a lot more effective as a public official rather than appointed, and, so far, they've been right," he said.

Adelson said he has built a record of supporting or sponsoring laws that have included cutting taxes, expanding health insurance coverage, increasing teachers' pay and protecting seniors from predators.

Adelson is a fourth-generation Tulsan and the youngest of four sons with a well-known pediatrician for a father and a social worker for a mother.

He finished Stanford a year early and returned to Tulsa to marry his Edison High School sweetheart, Julie. They've been married for 21 years with four children.

Unlike nearly every home in America, Adelson says his has no network or cable TV. Family entertainment comes from such activities as renting movies, playing computer games, playing outdoors or reading. Adelson said he gets his news from newspapers and online news sites.

During his time off from the Legislature, he volunteers as an adjunct teacher at Booker T. Washington High School, where his focus is on political theory.

Adelson said he sees the mayor's job as an opportunity to bring his skills to the table and "implement a vision all Tulsans would share to secure the city's future."

He said it's about building a quality of life that not only keeps people in Tulsa, but also lures them here.

"I read an article about a group of college graduates with a knapsack and a copy of a Jack Kerouac book and no job going to Portland to live because it's a cool place to be.

"I'm hoping years from now I'll be reading that same story, only the kids will be from Portland coming to Tulsa because it's cool."

P.J. Lassek 581-8382
pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/1/2009 8:58:39 AM) I can't vote in this election, but he certainly has the qualifications. Will he be tough on crime?
	Report Comment Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/1/2009 9:13:47 AM) I want to thank the Tulsa World for explaining what got Senator Tom Adelson into politics. Prior to this article, I thought it was only about trying to play off his Physican father's reputation. I see his Dad mentioned every single time he runs for office.
	Report Comment Ray, (11/1/2009 10:43:42 AM) VOTE MARK PERKINS.........if the "T W" won't do an article on him, it's a good reason to vote for him.
	Report Comment AP, Tulsa (11/1/2009 1:42:53 PM) Ray, what are you talking about? Didn't you see the link to the Perkins story at the top of the article? It's entitled: "Perkins out to help others, test himself "
	Report Comment nativedaughter, (11/1/2009 2:10:36 PM) This guy has no management experience in anything: not business, not government, not education, not health care. Never been in charge of any large organization. He is so not ready for this hugh job.
	Report Comment Elusive, the burbs (11/2/2009 1:04:30 AM) Impressive, his father was my kids pediatrician their whole life. If he is anything like him which I think he is then he is a man of integrity and character. He is only 1 of 9 that voted against the stupid abortion bill. Has Perkins ran a business?
	Report Comment hmmm, (11/2/2009 5:42:08 AM) regardless of who wins, tulsa needs a city-manager form of government. this should be the first act of the electee. Tulsa shouldn't be a training ground for another "good-idea" fairy. it needs experienced, professional, managerial leadership. Once the election is over, politics is irrelevant. A person will be judged by they way they deliver services, in the most effective and efficient way. Politics is then relegated to photo op backdrops.

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