Farthing has been director of the U.S. Census Bureau's New York Regional Office since 1996. He manages and directs census activity in the New York metropolitan area, which includes nine counties in New York and 10 in New Jersey.

Farthing began his career in 1975 as an intern with the Federal Junior Fellowship Program in the Geography Division at Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland, Md. He graduated with a degree in geography from the University of Delaware in 1979 and immediately resumed work in Suitland as a geographer.

Farthing became a survey specialist in the New York Regional Office in 1988 before becoming an area manager for the 1990 Census. He resumed work as a survey statistician, was promoted to coordinator in 1992 and then to assistant regional director in 1993.

Farthing earned the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award in 1995 and 2001, and the National Partnership for Reinventing Government Hammer Award in 2000. The Brooklyn resident received a Certificate of Appreciation from New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in 2001.