Robert A. Cerasoli became the Commonwealth’s second Inspector General in 1991 and served until Cerasoli, a graduate of the American University, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and Abilene Christian
University, was a state representative from 1975 to 1991. As a state representative, he developed what would become a life-long interest in promoting ethical public service. He co-authored M.G.L. c. 268B, which created the State Ethics Commission and requires financial disclosure for all elected and appointed officials. He went on to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics and then as Chairman of the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight.
Cerasoli put his passion for ethical government to full use as Inspector General, overseeing the OIG’s investigation into the largest and most complex construction project in the history of the United States: the Central Artery/Tunnel project (the Big Dig). Cerasoli convinced the Executive Office of Transportation and the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD), the agencies responsible for the project, to sign an unprecedented interagency service agreement in 1992.
Under the agreement, the OIG provided assistance to the MHD for Big Dig topics as far-ranging as alternative dispute
resolution, bid methodologies, inventory control, conflict of interest policies and construction management. At the same time, the OIG maintained its right to conduct management reviews and investigations of the project, which it did, publishing numerous reports that would, in Cerasoli’s words, “stand five feet high if stacked.”
Cerasoli also brought to the Office an emphasis on the importance of training and education for public employees. As Inspector General, Cerasoli was a founding member and the first president of the Association of Inspectors General (AIG), a national organization intended to “promote the exchange of information, ideas and best practices, and assist in ensuring [that] inspector general staff are well-trained to perform their duties.” Since 1999, the AIG has offered a certification program for training in best practices for inspector general offices, which thousands of employees attend each year. Cerasoli was also responsible for proposing, developing and co-authoring Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspectors General (the Green Book), which enshrined principles and quality standards in a guide for inspector general offices.
Cerasoli believed in the importance of training public employees responsible for procurement as well. In 1997, the OIG developed the Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official (MCPPO) program after Cerasoli successfully sought authorization and funding from the Legislature for a training and certification program. Cerasoli saw the potential that such programs had to further the OIG’s mission by preventing fraud, waste and abuse of government resources.
Cerasoli is proud that, for nearly 25 years, the MCPPO program “has demonstrated the value of devoting resources to build the capacity of public purchasing officials to operate effectively, efficiently and ethically.” The legacy of Robert Cerasoli’s emphasis on education and training during his time as Inspector General is evident in the thousands of public employees who have attended AIG and MCPPO classes and conferences over the years, where they learned about the importance of accountability, integrity and professionalism in government work.
After leaving the Massachusetts OIG and teaching for several years, Cerasoli became the first Inspector General for the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he served for two years. Created in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Office of the Inspector General was based on the principles and guidance outlined in the Green Book. As the first New Orleans Inspector General, Cerasoli built the office from the ground up, securing funding, overseeing the establishment of an independent police monitor and successfully lobbying for changes to the city charter and state
legislation to strengthen the office.