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Biographies

Thomas A. Sachs

Manager, Business Services and Administration
Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation

Tom Sachs is the program manager for Business Services and Administration in the Office of the Secretary, Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response. The Business Services Included in the Program Area responsibilities are Strategic Planning, Financial Management, Travel Management, Human Resources Processing, Equipment Inventory, Records Management, and Administrative Support for the Office of Intelligence Security and Emergency Response. Tom is also responsible for all disaster response financial issues under Emergency Support Function-1, Transportation, as identified by the National Response Framework.

Tom began work in disaster management in November 2001 on a detail as an operations officer at the DOT Crisis Management Center. He was responsible for monitoring the status of the nation’s transportation systems, analyzing information, preparing reports, and conducting briefings. Following the detail, Tom became Program Manger for Business Services and Administration in July 2002.

Before his work in disaster management, Tom had been at the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General for about 10 years. He was a program manager responsible for evaluations of highway and transit projects, including audits of the $750 million Springfield Interchange highway project and the $600 million South Boston Transitway. Prior to becoming a program manager, Tom was responsible for audits of DOT programs, FAA major system acquisitions, and FAA operations.

Tom came to DOT after 7 years as a staff auditor with the California’s Auditor General’s Office, the state of California’s equivalent to the US General Accountability Office. He audited numerous state operations including the Department of Corrections, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). During the audit at USCB, Tom identified fraudulent invoices that resulted in the arrest and conviction of the Chancellor and other USCB employees and numerous contractors. Just prior to joining the California Auditor General’s Office, Tom was an auditor with the US Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General San Francisco Regional Office where he conducted evaluations of nationwide farm programs.

Before moving to California, Tom evaluated government program operations for almost 10 years, first as an evaluator with the US General Accountability Office in Washington, DC and then at its regional office in Detroit, Michigan. While at with the US General Accountability Office Tom conducted audits covering a variety of subjects including the justification for 20 year military retirements, the government role in resolving auto repair complaints and the effectiveness of US Customs operations.

Tom’s bachelor’s degree is in Political Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and his Masters in Management is from the Central Michigan University.