Doris M. Damm, 82, temp agency founder, ex-chairwoman at Phila Fed

Doris M. Damm of Moorestown started a temp agency in her home as she was raising three children. The company, eventually named Accu Staffing Services, became so successful that Mrs. Damm was named to the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, and later became chairwoman of the board. Her role at the bank took her to Washington for meetings where she sat across the table from Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke.

On Monday, Feb. 27, Mrs. Damm, 82, died shortly after being admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden. She had been battling lung cancer and Alzheimer's disease, and more recently had a stroke, said her daughter, Elaine M. Damm.

"She was a wonderful woman and I learned a lot from her," said Anthony M. Santomero, who served as the Philadelphia Fed's president until in 2006. Santomero said he recommended Mrs. Damm for the bank's board because of her success in business and deep understanding of employment issues. She was a tough businesswoman with a big heart who had both regional and national influence on employment policy, Santomero said.

William Stone, who served as first vice president and chief operating officer at the bank, recalled that  she was decisive and persuasive when she made up her mind.

"She was a very good listener, she waited until she had all the information at hand, then made sound decisions," Stone said. Damm joined the local board in 2001, serving as deputy chairwoman in 2004 and 2005 and chairwoman in 2006 and 2007.

Elaine Damm said her mother, born Doris Stubergh, had been a headhunter when she realized in 1978 that there was more demand for temporary workers than for permanent workers. She came home one day and told her husband, Edward, then an executive for Radio Corp. of America, that she wanted to start her own temp business.

The couple, married 58 years, always supported each other, Elaine Damm said. Her mother turned the kitchen table into her workspace with a fancy phone, and she worked there until moving into a small Cherry Hill office.

Nearly four decades later, Accu Staffing has 160 permanent employees and places about 30,000 employees annually. The company has 13 offices throughout South Jersey and Philadelphia. There are 12 more offices on site with partner companies, Elaine Damm said, calling her mother a "gutsy woman" who was not afraid to take a risk.

Born in New York City, and a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a degree in English, Mrs. Damm lived in Missouri and California, where her husband was transferred, before South Jersey. She did not miss a day of work while going through chemo treatment after being diagnosed with advanced colon cancer 12 years ago.

When her daughter suggested she take time off, her mother, whom she described as "focused and driven," was clear that she did not want to be told what she could not do. Only days before her death, Elaine Damm said, she had lunch with her mother and the usual conversation about what was happening at the company.

Earlier in life, no matter how busy she was, Elaine Damm said, her mother always had dinner on the table, made time for family barbecues, and hosted many guests at their backyard pool. While in Missouri, Elaine recalled, her mother enjoyed fishing for trout with the rest of the family and would cook the catch of the day for dinner.

The business is currently operated under the leadership of her husband, daughter, and two sons, William E. and Edward H.

Mrs. Damm received numerous business awards. In 2000, she gave the commencement speech for Rutgers Business School in Camden.

Mrs. Damm was also a board member of Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Foundation, a member of the Rutgers Advisory Board for Rutgers Business School, Camden, and the Rutgers Foundation. Mrs. Damm also participated in Rutgers' quarterly Economic Outlook Panel and was a member of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council and the board of directors of the Cherry Hill Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to her husband and children, Mrs. Damm is survived by three grandchildren.

Funeral services and interment were private.

Donations may be made to the Alzheimer's  Association at www.alz.org or the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.

Condolences for the family may be left  at www.lewisfuneralhomemoorestown.com