The Chicago Transit Board today appointed Paul Sidrys as the next Inspector General for the Chicago Transit Authority. Sidrys has been serving as the CTA’s Acting Inspector General for the past year. His four-year term is effective immediately.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established by Board ordinance in 1999, and is led by the Inspector General who reports directly to the Chicago Transit Board.
“For the past year, Paul has successfully carried out the duties and responsibilities of the Inspector General’s office,” said Chicago Transit Board Chairman Terry Peterson. “We have confidence in his abilities. He understands the importance of independent review and will continue to offer the strong check and balance that the Board has counted on the OIG to provide for the past decade.”
As Inspector General, Sidrys is responsible for promoting effectiveness and integrity in the administration of CTA programs and operations. The OIG oversees the receipt and registration of complaints and information concerning waste, fraud and abuse within the CTA; investigates and audits the conduct and performance of CTA officers, employees, agents and contractors acting on the CTA’s behalf; and reports the results of investigations and audits to the Transit Board, among other duties.
At CTA Sidrys also has served as Deputy Inspector General. Prior to joining the CTA in 2005, Sidrys various held positions with the accounting and consulting firms Arthur Andersen & Co. and Grant Thornton, as well as with Bricker and Associates (now known as Keane Consulting Group).
Sidrys earned his Master’s degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and also holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Notre Dame. He is currently on the Board of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Inspectors General, and also is the Vice Chairman of the Committee of Audit Professionals of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
In 2009, the OIG fielded more than 900 formal contacts from CTA employees, customers, the general public and other government entities, which resulted in the initiation of more than 330 investigations. From those investigations, a total of 15 final audit reports containing more than 90 findings and recommendations were issued. The OIG currently has 19 employees and is required to formally report on the status of its activities every quarter to the Chairman of the Chicago Transit Board and President of the CTA.
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