Brian Adam

Brian James Adam ( born10 June 1948 – died 25 April 2013) was a Scottish politician and biochemist.
He served as a Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999−2013.
He was an MSP for the North East Scotland region from 1999-2003, then for the Aberdeen North constituency from 2003-2011, for the Aberdeen Donside constituency from 2011 until his death in 2013. From 2007-2011, he was Chief Whip for the minority SNP Government and Co-Convener of the Oil and Gas Cross Party Group. He was the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip from May 2011 to September 2012.
Background.
Adam was born in Newmill, a hamlet near Keith, Moray, Banffshire in 1948. He attended Keith Grammar School and obtained a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and a MSc in Clinical Pharmacology from University of Aberdeen. He began his career with Glaxo in Montrose, Angus from 1970-1973, before working as a biochemist at City Hospital, Aberdeen from 1973-1988.
From 1988, Adam worked as the principal biochemist in the National Health Service at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and was a trade union activist prior to his election to Holyrood in 1999. He had five children and three grandchildren. Adam lived in Aberdeen and was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Brian Adam was also an avid follower of Aberdeen Football Club and attended the majority of their matches.
Political career.
Brian Adam joined the Scottish National Party in 1974.
He served three terms as a councillor for Middlefield and Heathryfold on Aberdeen District Council (1988–1996) and on Aberdeen City Council from 1995 until his election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999.
He stood as a candidate for the Aberdeen North constituency at the 1997 general election for the House of Commons but Labour retained the seat with a majority of 10,000 votes.
Member of the Scottish Parliament.
In the first election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, he contested Aberdeen North. Labour won the seat with a narrow majority of just 398 votes. Adam was elected from the regional list as the second North East Scotland regional MSP in 1999.
At the 2003 election he stood for the Aberdeen North constituency, this time winning the seat from Labour with a majority of 457 votes.
He retained the seat at the 2007 election with a significantly increased majority of 3,749 votes, and then again in 2011 in the renamed Aberdeen Donside with an even larger majority of 7,175 votes.
After struggling with a long illness, his death from cancer was announced on 25 April 2013. Then-First Minister Alex Salmond paid tribute to Adam as "an outstanding politician, fine human being and a dear friend."
Parliamentary posts.
In June 2003 he became the Convener of the Standards Committee.