Former Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Richard L. Skinner, former Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) joins the Coalition to provide members with exceptional insights into the challenges faced by components of DHS and other federal/state/local government agencies with homeland security responsibilities and contribute to thought leadership on solutions and strategies for small and mid-sized companies to contribute to the Nation’s homeland security mission.

After 42 years of distinguished service, Mr. Skinner retired in early 2011. He was the first Senate confirmed IG of DHS. Prior to his July 28, 2005 confirmation, he held the position of Deputy Inspector General since March 1, 2003, the date the Department was created.

Prior to his arrival at DHS, Mr. Skinner was with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he served as the Acting Inspector General and Assistant Inspector General for Audits. In 1998, he received the President’s Meritorious Executive Rank Award for sustained superior accomplishment in management of programs of the United States Government and for noteworthy achievement of quality and efficiency in the public services.

He began his Federal career in 1969 with the OIG of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and held a variety of OIG management positions with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of State and the Arms Controls and Disarmament Agency.

Mr. Skinner served as the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board Vice Chairman and chaired that Board’s Accountability Committee. The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board was established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to coordinate and conduct oversight of $787 billion in stimulus funds. Mr. Skinner also chaired the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) Homeland Security Roundtable, and was C-Chairman of the National Procurement Fraud Task Force Legislative Committee. He was also a member of the CIGIE Integrity, Investigations and Human Resources committees as well as the Interagency Coordination Group of Inspectors General for Guam Realignments and the Domestic Working Group.

Mr. Skinner holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Fairmont State College and an MPA degree from George Washington University.