Bob Grogan: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: Downers GroveWebsite: votegrogan.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: DuPage County Auditor Age: 48Family: Wife: BethChildren: Ana(14), Bobby III (12) and Evelyn (10)Occupation: AuditorEducation: Certified Public Accountant (CPA),Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE),Advanced Accounting Certificate from College of DuPage,Bachelor of Arts with majors in Economics and Political Science from Miami University (Ohio),Graduated from Hinsdale Central High School.Civic involvement: Currently: member Illinois' Financial Reporting Standards Board which is tasked to improving timeliness and quality of financial reporting for the State. Appointed by the Comptroller and approved by Senate. Member of COD Accounting Department Advisory Board.Previously: President United Way of DuPage Area where I chaired the merger of 6 separate 501(c)3s into single more efficient organization, cutting expenses over 30%.Board member of DuPage Zoning Board Appeals, DuPage Regional Planning Commission, Clarendon Blackhawk Mosquito Abatement District, Education Foundation Downers Grove Dist.58, Des Plaines Valley Council Boy Scouts (chaired audit committee). Volunteer ESL teacher and Pop Warner Football coach.Elected offices held: DuPage County AuditorQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?The office of County Auditor is the only office elected directly by the people where its primary responsibility to safeguard the assets entrusted to government by the taxpayer. I am running because this is too important of a position to fill it with someone who just wants to find a way of getting involved in politics. I am a professional auditor, it is what I am good at. I am motivated by the ability of doing the job well.What special qualifications does a county auditor need that may not apply to other county offices? What professional qualifications or experiences do you possess that will help ensure your success as auditor?The office of County Auditor in order to be effective needs a person who has strong experience and credentials in auditing and accounting. I am a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and a CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner). Prior to taking office, I worked in Public Accounting directing audits of governments, NFP and pension plans.To what extent must an auditor remain independent of other county offices and officials, and how will you ensure the appropriate level of independence in this office?By nature of being elected (as opposed to being appointed or hired) the County Auditor answers directly to the electorate and as such can maintain independence from the other stakeholders in county government. The ability to play neutral umpire, calling balls and strikes, on internal controls, without being burdened with other policy objectives enables the Auditor to remain on an independent footing.Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the auditor's office. Are personnel allocated as they should be? Are there capital expense or other budgetary items that the office must address, and, if so, how do you propose to address them?The office of County Auditor has 7 full-time employees(including the County Auditor), the smallest office in the county. Two individuals are dedicated to ensuring that claims dispersed by the county comply with federal regulations, state statues, county policies and contracts (66,000 in 2015). They are assisted depending of volume from time to time by the other 4 members of the department (all of whom have professional certifications), however their main task is to perform audits (99 in 2015). This tasking is both flexible and efficient. No major capital investments are needed, though we continue to expand our use of technology.Please list any elected office you've ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?Other than DuPage County Auditor, the office in which I have the privilege of currently serving, I ran once for Illinois State Treasurer which I lost in the Republican Primary. I have never been appointed to fill an unexpired term.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?When I was elected Auditor, I made DuPage the first county in the state to put its checkbook on-line, I later innovated by organizing the varied elements of financial data from different departments at the county by putting it all in a "one-stop-shop" we call the Transparency Portal. We will be making this even more user friendly. Another innovation I instituted was the creation of an Audit Hotline for tips on fraud, waste and abuse. It has led to real savings at the county and even criminal prosecution. The new ERP system needs to be leveraged to its fullest capacity.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Aung San Suu Kyi and if you gave me more than 25 words, I would be happy to explain how she inspired me.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?My father's favorite saying, "It is better to keep your mouth shut and to be thought a fool, than opening your mouth and proving it."If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would try and meet my wife ten years earlier.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?College Intermediate Accounting because it showed me a profession for which I had a real talent.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't let the perfect be then enemy of the good. Constantly try and make things in your life a little better. You will be successful.