Pardon Our Dust
We recently launched this new site and are still in the process of updating some of our archived content. Some details of this article may be incomplete, links may be broken, and other elements may not display properly yet. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
July 3, 1963 – January 26, 2019
We pay tribute to our friend and colleague, Robert Adams, who received an especially aggressive cancer diagnosis last month and passed away on January 26, 2019 at the age of 55.
Robert was a preeminent State House lobbyist, a noted conservationist, a civic leader and a pillar of South Carolina politics.
As a senior vice president with McGuireWoods Consulting, Robert had an extensive background in South Carolina politics and government dating back to his days as a Republican campaign consultant. Robert started his career in politics as a disciple of the late Lee Atwater, working on President George H.W. Bush’s successful 1988 campaign for president and later at the Republican National Committee.
Robert went on to run campaigns for U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond, South Carolina Governor David Beasley and South Carolina Lt. Governor Bob Peeler among others. He served in the administrations of Governor Beasley and Governor Mark Sanford, before beginning his governmental relations practice.
“We’re all devastated by this,” former South Carolina Governor, and Robert’s friend and colleague, Jim Hodges said. “He was just a class person – a consummate professional and an all-around great guy. He had this ability to make people like him. People just loved Robert – regardless of their partisan affiliation. They found him as someone they could trust and work with on any issue. He had tremendous integrity.”
Robert was a loyal, dependable, and loving friend to many people. He was the keystone of many different social groups of which he was a member. He served as President of the St. Andrews Society of Columbia and President of the Town Club, being only the third President in that dining club’s 100 year history. He also was the perennial organizer of the Annual Camp Deerwoode Boys Reunion in Brevard, NC and an active member in various clubs, including the Society of the Cincinnati (Charleston), the Columbia Cotillion Club, the Society of Lower Richland, the Forum Club, the Welcome Society (Philadelphia), and many others.
Robert is survived by his beloved wife Shana Adams and their two sons, Robert VII and Joel.