Following two days of interviews, members of the seven-member Palm Beach County Inspector General Selection Committee have tentatively chosen the county’s first independent Inspector General (IG).
Sheryl G. Steckler was the top choice among eight finalists for the new position. She is currently the inspector general with the Florida Department of Children and Families, and is second Vice President for the National Association of Inspectors General and President for the local Chapter (Tallahassee) Association of Inspectors General.
The County Attorney’s Office will now begin negotiating a contract with Ms. Steckler which, by ordinance, will be for four years.
Click HERE for the county press release.
RCPB members were involved in the creation of the county Ethics Ordinances that passed late last year. Through public comment, meetings with commissioners and staff, drafting some of the final ordinance wording that helped guarantee the independence of the office of Inspector General, and participation on the implementation committee, we fully support the process and wish Ms Steckler well in her new role if she chooses to accept it.
Background on Sheryl Steckler from the DFC website: (Click HERE.)
Appointed Inspector General in October 2002, Sheryl’s office currently consists of three units: Investigations, Internal & Single Audit and Appeal Hearings. Ms. Steckler’s oversight includes the agency’s programs and functions which extend to the agency’s outsourced community partners as well. Ms. Steckler has worked in law enforcement and related positions for over 24 years. Prior to joining the Inspectors General community in 2002, she spent eight years as the Director for Pinellas County, Florida Consumer Protection which included Mediation, Criminal Investigations and Regulatory Oversight. Ms. Steckler was also with the Florida Auditor General’s office in Performance Auditing and Public Assistance Fraud for over nine years. Ms. Steckler is currently a Certified Inspector General and Certified Inspector General Investigator. She is an Infragard member with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (Homeland Security). She is also a former certified law enforcement officer and certified welfare fraud investigator. Ms. Steckler holds a master’s degree in Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Florida State University. She is currently second Vice President for the National Association of Inspectors General and President for the local Chapter (Tallahassee) Association of Inspectors General. She has held elected positions as President and Vice President of Conferences for the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators. Ms. Steckler has also served as a member (appointed by the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services) of the Florida’s Consumer Council