In my young career, I have been blessed to work for a number of leaders and innovators in the polling industry. One of the best,
Warren Mitofsky, died unexpectedly on Friday.
Warren's professional accomplishments have shaped the industry as we know it. As one AAPOR-ite said when introducing fledgling pollsters to the man himself, "Without Warren, you wouldn't have a job." He remains legendary in the field, not only for his accomplishments and dedication to the industry, but for his unique style and personality.
Working for Warren required two key skills, first, knowing what you were doing and second, being able to defend it from his often blunt criticism. Attempting the latter usually meant you were wrong, but you would damn sure not make the mistake again. Warren was notoriously outspoken within the industry and had earned the right to be so. But we all knew he did it with the best intention -- turning polling into a respected science abiding by the strictest standards.
Personally, one of my favorite things about Warren was his faithfulness to New York. Warren knew that I was not a fan of the suburbs, and would have given just about anything to stay in Brooklyn after working for VNS. When I ran into him at a NYAAPOR event in Manhattan after moving out to central New Jersey to work on Edison/Mitofsky's exit polling, he said, "So have they revoked your visa yet?" Perfect.
I will miss Warren's guidance and wisdom, and only hope that I can live up to his standards for the rest of my career.
