William J. Hannah
Bloomingdale,IL
Summary
Results-driven, highly motivated, and forward-looking leader of complex, high-profile investigations and diverse professionals to yield improvement-focused change. Expert leader in the assessment of an average of 2,400 multi-faceted and complex complaints a year involving government fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct and in the conduct of world-class investigations of criminal, civil, and administrative wrongdoing. Established builder, coach, and mentor of high functioning teams through relationship development, skill-sharing, and establishing an empowering culture and ethos while using superior interpersonal skills. Seasoned manager of regional resource and work planning optimization, procurement oversight, human capital management, facilities administration, and regional investigative results. Strategic thinker and outstanding communicator focused on collaborative enhancement of business processes and investigations, growing employee skills, building teams that synergize their members’ strengths, reducing administrative burdens by continually streamlining processes, efficiently managing investigative resources, maintaining stakeholder credibility, and having maximum impact to the Department with our investigative work and sound management practices.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy Assistant Inspector General – Investigations Division - Series 1811/SES
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
04.2018 - 05.2025
- Responsible for leading the Investigations Divisions in its global mission to investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct by Department of Justice (DOJ) employees or against DOJ grants, contracts, or programs. Broad scope of duties included division strategic planning; ensuring successful and safe execution of mission work worldwide; developing an annual budget and overseeing spending for the Division; assessing and implementing new technologies and innovations in investigative techniques; liaising and benchmarking with external federal law enforcement agency leadership to promote collaboration and execute synergetic decision making; crafting new and updating current Division policy to comply with all new laws, DOJ and OIG directives, and current Divisional strategy; ensuring human capital goals were met, to include reaching needed staffing levels and required expertise acquired; human resource development to ensure all staff was motivated, rewarded for good work, employee issues swiftly addressed, and staff received robust and diverse training for mission success; and self-assessment of Division accomplishments for future strategic planning and policy change. Focuses on teambuilding, leadership development to establish a nurturing culture of growth and excellence, a robust and ready posture with the field and headquarters working in unison while establishing new coalitions with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to reach new milestones of mission success.
- Fostered dexterity and unwavering endurance in the Investigations Division following the issuance of several executive orders from the President of the United States that resulted in drastic operational changes and profound changes to work/life balance for many employees.
- Enhanced policies in numerous topics, including medical requirements for Special Agents, firearms and controlled tactics programs, evidence handling, general administration of the Division, government operated vehicles, and more.
- Part of the executive management team that lead the Investigations Division of 138 employees to conduct worldwide investigations resulting in criminal prosecutions, civil judgments, administrative remedies, debarments, and more.
Special Agent in Charge (SAC) – Midwest Region - Series 1811/GS-15
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
04.2018 - 12.2024
- Responsible for all strategic planning and the safe, accurate and successful execution of all investigative mission work and support functions within the 10-state Midwest Region (MWR) consisting of up to 18 personnel performing impactful investigations into allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct by Department of Justice (DOJ) employees or against DOJ grants, contracts, or programs.
- Focuses on teambuilding, staff development and readiness to exceed performance milestones, a dexterous and transparent posture with our Headquarters, forging alliances with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, and ensuring resources are effectively consumed yet within budget.
- Led the MWR to enter, assess, and process over 15,000 external complaints and open over 164 cases from these complaints over the course of my tenure.
- Thoroughly investigated and closed over 192 cases by submitting thorough and accurate final reports for each case, recovered over $15 million, and arrested over 71 subjects, with 117 administrative actions and 6 debarments of subjects in MWR investigations.
- Transitioned the MWR to a formidable, inclusive team that prioritizes mission work in conjunction with the best interest of the employee.
- Led staff with a listening and collaborative posture to build trust and reach new levels of motivation.
- Coached new and existing MWR staff on OIG investigative tradecraft, demonstrated proven problem-solving approaches to complex work hurdles, established staff familiarity with OIG’s policies/procedures, and prepared MWR staff for leadership.
- Harnessed MWR and OIG historical data to emphasize work trends, adjusted office areas of responsibility, established liaison milestones, and used external partnerships to facilitate moving an unfilled investigator position to the Lexington Domicile to relieve disproportionate workloads, which pushed through agency norms.
- Used creative human capital solutions to avoid MWR support staff shortages and losing high-valued staff by advocating and completing the administrative process to increase the journey level for all support staff in the INV field holding the title of Investigative Specialist.
- Undertook independent efforts to attract cases and forge new coalitions within the law enforcement community and among DOJ partner community, such as DOJ grantees and contractors.
- My efforts brought in tremendous case work having tangible agency results, such as arrests and recoveries; forged new and helpful partnerships, set an example for the rest of the Division, and significantly contributed more than any other office to INV’s total organizational goals regarding outreach.
- With an empathy for each staff member’s unique circumstances, led the MWR to complete thorough and impactful investigations during the COVID-19 pandemic, matching the previous year’s productivity levels by making creative adjustments to traditional investigative tradecraft.
- Advocation of staff concerns with senior leaders and clear communication kept the MWR grounded and helped the organization deliberate on unique pandemic challenges.
- Increased MWR morale and productivity by reducing administrative burden through transforming the MWR final report work product to greatly reducing edits and time spent on corrections, harnessing technology to efficiently streamline regional administrative functions, establishing new collateral duty tracking and assigning procedures, and centralizing tracking of regional database access.
- Created and led a Federal Security Committee for our Chicago Office and other building tenants, coordinating with all relevant stakeholders, establishing the formal Federal Security Level for the building, and determining and addressing vulnerabilities and countermeasures based on current threats.
- While assessing the Administrative United States Penitentiary, located in Thomson, Illinois, for misconduct and corruption, built multi-level coalitions to encourage the free flow of information, promote cooperation with the vetting MWR investigators, and dispel inaccurate assumptions.
- These coalitions were instrumental in completing the high-profile assessment of the prison, facilitating referrals to federal prosecutors for consideration, and helping the prison and the Federal Bureau of Prisons improve their processes.
- Quickly determined facts glossed over by federal prosecutors were likely indicative of an inmate’s civil rights being violated, and through significant deliberation, convinced the prosecutors to open an investigation, which resulted in multiple staff being arrested and terminated at a United States Penitentiary and was a catalyst to cultural and systematic change at the federal prison and throughout the Federal Bureau of Prisons organization.
- Streamlined the MWR final report process by creating standards, adhering to published guides, tracking corrections made to MWR reports, and using lessons learned.
- Led investigation of the FBI’s handling of the case against the U.S. Women’s Gymnastic Team’s doctor, resulting in sweeping changes in FBI policies and procedures.
- My investigation showed that for 1½ years, the FBI mishandled allegations of sexual abuse of minor gymnasts by the team doctor, allowing over 70 additional minor athletes to be victimized before any law enforcement intervention.
- The DOJ Inspector General and victims, including Olympic athletes, spoke before Congress regarding the findings of my investigation, and the OIG issued policy and procedure recommendations to the FBI relating to handling the receipt of child abuse allegations, such as making immediate notifications to each authority having jurisdiction, and better safeguarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
- To match our guidance to the FBI, I led an effort to enhance the OIG’s Victim/Witness and CSAM Policies.
- Acted as a spokesperson for the organization and the MWR with an FBI SAC to negotiate investigative disagreements regarding warning forms and successfully came to a resolution that was in the best interest of the OIG’s mission.
- Demonstrated investigative experience and capability to direct operational change to capture critical evidence while supervising a search warrant operation on a subject allegedly involved in leaking sensitive information from the USAO.
- Built a strong relationship with that USAO, eventually leading to federal prosecutions of two subjects.
- Represented the DOJ OIG to negotiate an advantageous position with FBI senior leadership regarding collaboration in investigations of overlapping jurisdictions.
- Established new resolution mechanisms for case differences and built a stronger coalition with the FBI.
Acting Special Agent in Charge – Investigative Support Branch - GS-15
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
12.2023 - 05.2024
- Managed all support functions, programs, and administration for investigations within the Investigations Division (INV) and performed by the Investigative Support Branch (ISB) with a focus on team building, flexibility, responsiveness, staff investment, and a minimization of administration burdens on the field.
- Built coalitions with INV leadership and collaborated with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
- Accountable for the successful and uninterrupted ISB service of various INV programs, to include external reporting of INV investigative data, INV policy updates, strategic financial planning and oversight of various INV programs, field equipment procurement, the INV’s training program, INV systems continued functionality and new system procurement, travel management, facilities administration, talent recruitment, and records management.
- Established a new ISB victim/witness program to provide services to victims and witnesses in field investigations.
- Updated policy regarding recent INV changes to the program.
- Facilitated the creation of introduction presentations.
- Led the effort to procure new U.S. Debit Card services to replace cash-based Special Operations Services Funds and to establish payment methods for victims obligated by federal rules to receive services.
- Reversed negative culture and staff negativity in the ISB by giving clear direction of customer-oriented mentality, meeting with staff to listen to concerns and recommendations, and coaching staff to reach successful outcomes in their work and to reach career goals.
- Demonstrated subject matter mastery and creativity by improving ISB investigative support processes all the while staying within budget for the various programs.
- Improved INV’s training program and budget, polygraph program, and FLETC In-Service Training program.
- Ensured investigative coverage of Department programs within INV.
- Led a team of volunteer field supervisors and ISB staff to conduct an office inspection of the Fraud Detection Office (FDO), resulting in insightful recommendations and helpful suggestions.
- Provided helpful insight and published final version of the OIG Strategic Plan for 2024 – 2026.
- Made impactful recommendations and facilitated formal publishing of updated OIG policies relating to the INV.
- Created a policy tracker in SharePoint to assist decision-makers with finding the latest draft version of policy and knowing who has current ownership of the draft.
- Expanded INV capability by procuring access to various databases for the field to include negotiating with requesting staff, the vendor, other OIG Divisions, INV leadership, Office of General Counsel, and more to reach approval and signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the vendor and the OIG and then implementing the system internally.
- Substantially participated in the development, data mapping, and developing workflows of new complaint and case management system.
- Led a testing group resulting in constant critical data during a lengthy development.
Senior Special Agent – Midwest Region – Series 1811/ GS-14
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
03.2015 - 04.2018
- Led complex criminal and administrative investigations involving DOJ employee misconduct or fraud, waste, and abuse of DOJ grants, contracts, or DOJ programs, including allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct by a U.S Attorney, accepting a bribe in exchange for sensitive information by an FBI task force officer, and egregious abuse of Office of Violence Against Women programs by grantees.
- Executed first-line review of most of the Midwest Region agent’s reports, which totaled approximately 1,000 MOIs, 90 AROIs, 45 ROIs, and multiple suspension and debarment request memorandums.
- Relied on by supervisors and peers for high-level writing ability.
- Led Special Agent hiring panels, including reviewing applicant packages, leading interviews of applicants of interest, updating panel questions for future panels, conducting reference checks, and providing hiring recommendations to selection officials.
Special Agent – Midwest Region - Series 1811/GS-13
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
04.2013 - 03.2015
- Led successfully complex criminal and administrative investigations resulting in 6 criminal convictions, approximately $40,000 in financial recoveries, and 4 administrative actions of former DOJ staff, and 3 debarments of non-DOJ subjects.
- Case types investigated included grant fraud, bribery, sexual abuse of a ward, introduction of contraband to a federal prison, wire fraud, conversion of public records for personal use, computer fraud, and false claims.
Special Agent – Fraud Detection Office - Series 1811/GS-13
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
10.2009 - 04.2013
- Led successful criminal, civil, and administrative investigations involving fraud, waste, and abuse of DOJ grants and contracts.
- Conducted a complex investigation involving a criminal enterprise defrauding the U.S. Government.
- The suspects' scheme involved hundreds of limited liability corporations, dozens of irrevocable trusts, over 70 real estate properties, hundreds of bank accounts and financial instruments, and funds hidden overseas.
- Investigative techniques included numerous search warrants and monitored meetings with undercover special agents.
- The investigation resulted in a financial recovery of $10,325,320.
Special Agent – Argonne National Laboratory - Series 1811/GS-13
U.S. Department of Energy – Office of the Inspector General
08.2008 - 10.2009
- Led investigations that resulted in convictions, financial recovery, and administrative actions involving fraud, waste, and abuse of DOE programs and funds, to include an arrest of an Argonne National Laboratory employee during a controlled buy operation.
- Case types investigated included grant fraud, contract fraud, workman’s compensation fraud, money laundering, and illegal gratuities for a competitive advantage in federal contracts.
Special Agent - Series 1811/GS-13
Department of Homeland Security - United States Secret Service
03.1999 - 08.2008
- Led investigations that resulted in multiple federal and state convictions.
- Led teams of agents to conduct simultaneous interviews, execute search warrants, conduct undercover operations, and make arrests.
- Cases included computer fraud, check and credit card fraud, bank fraud, identity theft, child pornography, computer/digital crimes, protective intelligence, and counterfeit currency.
- Led teams to conduct site preparation, logistic support, motorcade organization, lead advance, and shift duties for protective operations in support of the President, Vice President, major Presidential candidates, their families, and visiting foreign heads of state.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Accounting, Japanese (Minor Equivalency)
University of Illinois
Champaign-Urbana, IL05.1997
Japanese Language, Business And Culture
University of Senshu
Tokyo, Japan1995
Skills
- Innovative Problem Solver
- Superior Analytical Report Writer
- Collaborative and Motivational Leader
- Detail-Oriented
- Critical-Thinking Investigator
- Risk Analysis and Mitigation Expert
- Efficient Communicator
- Productive Multi-Tasker
Awards
- IG Distinguished Service Award, 2016, for outstanding leadership of Midwest Region investigations
- IG Award, 2023, for exceptional contributions in the production of the OIG's FY2023 Top Management and Performance Challenges (TMPC) report
Timeline
Acting Special Agent in Charge – Investigative Support Branch - GS-15
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
12.2023 - 05.2024
Deputy Assistant Inspector General – Investigations Division - Series 1811/SES
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
04.2018 - 05.2025
Special Agent in Charge (SAC) – Midwest Region - Series 1811/GS-15
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
04.2018 - 12.2024
Senior Special Agent – Midwest Region – Series 1811/ GS-14
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
03.2015 - 04.2018
Special Agent – Midwest Region - Series 1811/GS-13
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
04.2013 - 03.2015
Special Agent – Fraud Detection Office - Series 1811/GS-13
U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General
10.2009 - 04.2013
Special Agent – Argonne National Laboratory - Series 1811/GS-13
U.S. Department of Energy – Office of the Inspector General
08.2008 - 10.2009
Special Agent - Series 1811/GS-13
Department of Homeland Security - United States Secret Service
03.1999 - 08.2008
Bachelor of Science - Accounting, Japanese (Minor Equivalency)
University of Illinois
Japanese Language, Business And Culture
University of Senshu
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