Commerce secretary getting $90K special adviser position to Gov. Braun

By KARA KENNEY
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

Indiana’s Secretary of Commerce David Adams is leaving his post on June 30 to become a senior adviser to the governor on the life sciences initiative.

Indiana’s I-Team has learned Adams’ current salary is $275,000.

As a special adviser to the governor, Adams will receive a $90,000 salary, Indiana’s I-Team has learned.

Indiana’s I-Team asked the Governor’s Office for a job description for “Senior Advisor to the Governor on the Life Sciences Initiative,” and we are still waiting to hear back.

Indiana’s I-Team is working to reach David Adams for comment.

He was appointed as Indiana secretary of commerce, a member of the Republican governor’s cabinet, in January 2025.

His special adviser role is through December 2026, according to the governor’s office.

“When I asked David Adams to become Indiana’s Secretary of Commerce, I charged him with building a more aligned, more accountable approach to economic growth,” Braun said in a statement. “Over the last 18 months, he has not only delivered on that mission, but he established the foundation for Indiana’s next generation of economic opportunity.”

This is Braun’s second pick for a special adviser position.

As Indiana’s I-Team has reported, Braun also appointed former Department of Child Service (DCS) director Adam Krupp to a special adviser position on child welfare at a salary of $210,000.

Lawmakers and taxpayers have blasted the newly created special adviser position for ex-DCS director Krupp, which pays $210,000.

It’s not clear if Krupp’s adviser position has an end date.

Indiana’s I-Team caught up with Braun after a news conference.

Kara Kenney: “Governor, you just talked about efficiency and accountability. Why give Adam Krupp a position, and how do you hold him accountable if there’s no job description?”

Braun: “It’s easy to hold you accountable. He left because he had a personal issue.”

Since becoming Indiana’s secretary of commerce, the Governor’s Office says Adams has led the state’s efforts to align and reorganize economic development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, innovation, tourism, and regional growth strategies under a unified vision.

“The opportunity to serve Indiana across three administrations has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Adams said in a statement. “I am proud of what we accomplished together and am grateful to Governor Braun for the opportunity to help complete the next phase of the $1 billion Life Sciences Initiative. My focus over the coming months will be helping to ensure the initiative is positioned for long-term success.”

Indiana’s I-Team reported in 2023 that Adams stepped down from his role as Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Commissioner under Gov. Eric Holcomb after only eight months on the job.

At the time, Adams explained he was brought in as DWD commissioner to help with the legislative session.

“We needed to help the Governor get through his legislative agenda which we successfully did,” said Adams. “I was brought in Sept of 2022 to really focus on the legislative process. Because of my experience having managed the Public Employees Retirement Fund, having us go through the legislative process was an important aspect to this.”

A big part of DWD is unemployment insurance, but Adams said his skills are more geared toward improving Indiana’s workforce and helping businesses find skilled workers.

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/i-team/commerce-secretary-to-take-90k-special-adviser-position-to-gov-braun.