Mourning the loss of William L. Pierce

The following press release has been issued by the National Council for Adoption: For more information, contact: Lee Allen Office: (703) 535-1919 Mobile (24/7): 301-693-6513 FAX: 703-535-1901 Email: lallen@infantadopt.org June 10, 1936 January 13, 2004 National Council For Adoption Mourns the Passing of William L. Pierce NCFA Founding President was Adoption Pioneer ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, January 13, 2004 ֖ The National Council For Adoption (NCFA), a leading voice among national adoption and child welfare organizations, is deeply saddened by the loss of its founding president, William L. Pierce, PhD., and honors his extraordinary legacy of serving the best interests of children through adoption. Dr. Pierce, who founded NCFA in 1980 and served as the organizations president for 20 years, passed away on January 13, 2004, following a long and heroic battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Paula OҒConnor; their children, Hugh Pierce and his wife Ann Loper Pierce, David Pierce and his wife Jamie Pierce, Elinor Pierce Gupta and her husband Asheesh Gupta; and four grandchildren. To say that Bill Pierce was a great adoption leader is a dramatic understatement; Bill was a giant in the field of adoption. The adoption community has suffered a tremendous loss,Ӕ comments NCFAs president and CEO, Thomas Atwood. ғBill Pierce made a phenomenally positive difference in the lives of countless children, birthparents, and families, and in our entire society. His achievements are synonymous with the major improvements in adoption policy over the last 25 years. Dr. Pierce earned distinction as a powerful defender of adoption on Capitol Hill, in state legislatures, and in the media and adoption community. Under PierceԒs direction, NCFA led the way with a long list of policy improvements that enabled many tens of thousands of additional children to enjoy the benefits of adoption. Many of these pro-child policies would simply not have been achieved without BillӒs passionate and pioneering leadership, says Atwood. * Pierce worked tirelessly to present infant adoption as a loving option and played a major role in conceiving the Infant Adoption Awareness Act. This policy, part of the ChildrenԒs Health Act of 2000, created the Infant Adoption Awareness Training Program, which trains health and pregnancy counselors in presenting adoption as a positive option for unplanned pregnancy. * Informed by Pierces analyses and proposals, Congress introduced legislation to ease foster care adoptions. His efforts eventually led to the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act of 1994, which reduces obstacles to transracial adoption, and to the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, which promotes adoptions out of foster care by removing barriers to adoption and by creating incentives for states to place more foster children with adoptive families. Many tens of thousands of children today have loving, permanent families, because of these policies. * Through his leadership of NCFA and the International Association of Voluntary Adoption Agencies and NGOs (IAVAAN), and through his participation in the Special Commissions on the Practical Operation of the 1993 Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention, Pierce was instrumental in establishing intercountry adoption systems that behave more predictably and transparently, prevent abuses, and better serve the interests of children. * To make adoption more affordable for American families, Pierce worked with a bipartisan group in Congress and the executive branch to establish and expand the tax credit for adoption expenses and the employer-based adoption assistance program. * For decades, Pierce was the bulwark in preserving the principles of mutual consent and the option of privacy in adoption through his opposition to the Draft Model State Adoption Act and coercive ғopen records legislation, and through his advocacy of mutual consent registries and the Uniform Adoption Act of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. At the Adoption Hall of Fame 2003 Awards Banquet, NCFA awarded Dr. Pierce the first Ruby Lee Piester Heart for Adoption Award, for his ԓcompassion, courage, and achievement, in improving the lives of children, birthparents, and families, through adoption. He was inducted into NCFAԒs Adoption Hall of Fame upon his retirement from the NCFA presidency in 2000. The chairman of the NCFA Board of Directors, Robert Parker, observes, The National Council For Adoption and the entire adoption cause stand on Bill PierceӒs shoulders. Long may his tireless, compassionate example inspire us all, for the sake of the millions of children around the world in need of loving, permanent families. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to Bills wife Paula and their family and loved ones, and we share deeply in their grief.Ҕ The National Council For Adoption invites tributes to its founding president, William L. Pierce, for inclusion on its website, [url]www.adoptioncouncil.org[/url] <[url]http://www.adoptioncouncil.org/[/url]> . Please email submissions to lallen@infantadopt.org <mailto:lallen@infantadopt.org> , including your name, affiliation, and title, or association with Bill Pierce. Funeral arrangements are to be announced. About NCFA Since 1980, NCFA has been a leading voice among national adoption and child welfare organizations. NCFA is a research, education, and advocacy nonprofit that provides adoption information, promotes ethical adoption practices, informs public policy and opinion about adoption issues, and serves as a resource to women with unplanned pregnancies, adoptive families, those seeking to adopt, and adoption professionals. # # # # #

Rest in peace Bill Pierce.. Jackie

Bill and I were on opposite sides of the fence on most issues, but he was a good sparring partner. As someone else has said, his opposition made us more articulate, more focused and all around better advocates. We never got to the point where we agreed to disagree, but we had a lot of fun disagreeing with each other. I'll miss him. He was a good foe.

The principal architect of my family's adoption experience died last week. Bill Pierce lost his battle with cancer. My last email message from him was December 20th. He responded to my email announcing the safe arrival home of our 5th child. Over the three year period of our email and phone conversations, I learned through the adoption community the extent of Bill's advocacy and sometimes controversial views. This knowledge was an ironic aside to my personal experience of Bill's help. When I first contacted Bill I was a father of two. Three years later I am the father of five. 3 new miracles as a direct result of Bill's instructions. In our three year relationship it was only during the last six months that I learned of Bill's health situation. Most recently he assured me that his cold was just a cold even though weeks before he had spoken of needing to return to medication. On several occasions Bill suggested that there must be a divine plan to our meeting. His last three years of life were instrumental in giving me 3 children. With that: Their futures... Their children... I am sure I am one of hundreds of Bill Pierce stories. My angel now has a better vantage point to watch his flowers blossom. Michael Sterling

Michael, thank you so much for sharing your tribute to Bill. I, too, knew him for many years and the contribution he made to my life, and to my career, is enormous. You are fortunate indeed that his memory will live on so vibrantly in your family. All best Nancy