City Council today approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s reappointments of Inspector General (IG) Joseph Ferguson and Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) Jamie L. Rhee.

“Both Joe and Jamie are highly talented, dedicated civil servants who have committed themselves to making the City work better and more efficiently – particularly on the procurement task force that they co-chair,” said Mayor Emanuel. “I am pleased to reappoint them both, and look forward to continuing to work with them as we continue to seek and enact reforms that will benefit the City.”

Both Ferguson and Rhee have each been reappointed to serve an additional four-year term.
“I am gratified by the Mayor’s vote of confidence in the work of the Inspector General’s Office during my tenure,” said Ferguson. “OIG is committed to promoting effectiveness in City government, which now extends to police accountability. The creation of the office’s dedicated police oversight section demands OIG be even more committed to transparency and accountability that includes direct engagement with the public to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Chicago Police Department with the same vigor we apply to the programs and operations of the rest of City government.”

Reforming City government has been a top priority of Mayor Emanuel. Rhee has led the transformation of City procurement through an unprecedented level of transparency and innovation, including the development of more than 20 programs and incentives designed to reform and modernize the procurement process and foster a culture of inclusion. These measures strengthen and streamline opportunities for Chicago’s small, minority and women-owned businesses and create opportunities for a diverse workforce, focusing on those most in need.

Under Ferguson’s leadership, the OIG has worked with the City to increase efficiencies through a variety of audits to City programs. He has also helped enhance City oversight and accountability, and, working closely with the Federal Monitor, the City’s Department of Law and the City’s Department of Human Resources, helped the City to reach substantial compliance with the Shakman Accord in 2014. Further, late last year, the City created an independent, dedicated police oversight office within the OIG; Ferguson is working to build that section, and recently selected Laura Kunard to serve as the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety.

“I am honored to serve our City and continue working towards improving government procurement,” said Rhee. “We have a responsibility to address the needs of our underserved populations and communities and every facet of government can contribute to this positive change. Chicago will reach its full potential when its diverse population is represented at all levels.”

Over the past two years, Ferguson and Rhee have also co-chaired the Procurement Reform Task Force, which has developed recommendations to make procurement and contract management at the City and its sister agencies more uniform, efficient and cost effective, while increasing accountability.

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