Inspector General Carl W. Hoecker to Retire from SEC

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Inspector General Carl W. Hoecker will retire from the agency as of May 7, 2022. He has led the Office of Inspector General (OIG) since Feb. 11, 2013. Rebecca Sharek, Deputy Inspector General for Audits, Evaluations, and Special Projects, will serve as Acting Inspector General.

“I thank Carl for his long dedication to public service, particularly here at the SEC over the last nine years,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “The Office of Inspector General, as an independent reviewer, is a critical partner in identifying ways to improve the SEC’s efforts to execute its mission. I also thank Rebecca for agreeing to serve in the acting role.”

As the SEC’s Inspector General, Mr. Hoecker has led a team of auditors, investigators, and administrative staff to execute OIG’s mission to promote the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the SEC's programs and operations. Mr. Hoecker began his career with the U.S Army in 1976 and served as a special agent and warrant officer for the Army Criminal Investigations Command. In 1992, he joined the inspector general community as a criminal investigator, later becoming Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the U.S. Treasury OIG. In 2006, Mr. Hoecker was appointed the first Inspector General for the U.S. Capitol Police. During Mr. Hoecker's tenure, the SEC’s OIG conducted numerous investigations and audits, identified weaknesses, and made recommendations to improve internal controls and ensure government funds were spent wisely.

“I am grateful to the Commission for the opportunity to work with such talented and dedicated public servants,” said Mr. Hoecker. “I especially want to thank the staff in the Office of Inspector General for their dedication to overseeing and protecting the SEC’s programs and operations. I am also proud of our 92 percent employee global satisfaction rating for 2021 and our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts.”

Rebecca Sharek joined OIG in 2014 and is responsible for overseeing the office’s audits and evaluations of the agency's programs and operations, as well as special projects. She spent 17 years with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where she served as the NASA OIG Director of Space Operations Audits. She also served as the John F. Kennedy Space Center audit liaison and internal controls point of contact as well as a supervisory auditor with the Government Publishing Office OIG. Before joining the SEC OIG in 2014, she was the Assistant Inspector General for Audits at the Export-Import Bank of the United States OIG. Ms. Sharek is a Certified Internal Auditor. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Rollins College and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Florida.

“I am honored to lead the Office of Inspector General through this time of transition, and I thank Carl for his years of service,” said Ms. Sharek.