Noteworthy: Adams was named 2014 Inventor of the Year by the Pittsburgh Intellectual Property Law Association. The award recognizes the innovative contributions Adams made to the design and use of consumer products, such as suction cups, outdoor resin furniture and holiday accessories.
Age: 69
Residence: Portersville, Butler County
Family: Wife, Eileen; sons, Bill and Sam; and daughter, Elizabeth.
Occupation: Founder and chairman of Adams Manufacturing, a maker of injection-molded consumer products that parlayed a “Made in America” spirit into a $50 million-plus enterprise employing 300.
Background: Founded in 1976, Adams Manufacturing Corp. has earned 208 patents. Its products are sold throughout the United States, Canada and Europe by retailers such as Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Ace, Do It Best, and on Amazon.com.
Education: Master's degree in library science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Quote: “I was stunned when I opened the email; I didn't even know the award existed. I work a lot with patent attorneys who deal with real things, processes and products, and who understand the invention process and how important ideas are, so it's a special honor to be recognized by them.”
