His professional career includes pivotal roles at the Office of Economic Opportunity, Social Security Administration, IRS Statistics of Income Division, and NORC at the University of Chicago. At NORC, he was involved in landmark projects such as resolving issues with Indian Trust Fund accounts at the US Department of the Interior. During his time as SOI director, Fritz helped establish a relationship with the Federal Reserve to provide key information needed to establish the Survey of Consumer Finances.

One of Fritz’s many notable achievements is becoming the 100th president of the American Statistical Association in 2005. He also served as a vice president of NORC and has been a visiting professor at The George Washington University, where he created a successful survey sampling certificate program. His academic contributions include more than 500 papers and several books, with a focus on sampling, data quality, and statistical methods for human rights. His contribution to innovation in economic statistics was recognized with the Julius Shiskin Award in 1995, and his emphasis on mentoring others was recognized in 2016 with the ASA Mentoring Award.

Fritz’s work in human rights is noteworthy. He has collaborated with the Human Rights Data Analysis Group on projects in Guatemala, Kosovo, and East Timor and consulted on statistical methods for Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. His dedication to human rights was recognized in 2012, when he was honored with the ASA Peace Award.

Throughout his career, Fritz has been a fellow of the American Statistical Association and American Society for the Advancement of Science. His contributions to the statistics field and his commitment to human rights have left a legacy. And his commitment to others has made him widely loved and respected in the statistical community and beyond.