Marquette University

Growing secrecy limits government accountability

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

By the 1990s, the clipboards were moved out of the lobby, so we asked at the counter to see them.

Key Points: 
  • By the 1990s, the clipboards were moved out of the lobby, so we asked at the counter to see them.
  • For decades, journalists and civic activists have lamented the increasing secrecy of government – the times, they were denied government information, particularly from public records requests.
  • Reports have shown secrecy getting worse at the federal, state and local government levels.

Openness benefits people and society

  • And there are clear benefits: Open records are proven to lead to less sex-offender recidivism, fewer food service complaints, increased trust in government institutions and reduced corruption.
  • Stanford University professor James Hamilton calculated that for every dollar spent by newspapers on public records-based journalism, society realizes benefits worth US$287 in lower taxes and saved lives.

Less transparency year after year

  • Today, you might get it about 12% of the time, and the trend is steadily downward.
  • Every year in mid-March, since 2005, national Sunshine Week has promoted the right of people to acquire public records and attend public meetings.
  • Our research indicates that U.S. government secrecy has never been so prevalent.
  • President Donald Trump’s administration was more secretive than Obama’s, and transparency continues to slide under the Biden administration.

Data tells a piece of the story


According to annual data collected by the U.S. Department of Justice, federal agencies have become more secretive over the past decade:
The prevalence of people getting what they asked for through FOIA requests declined from 38% of the time in 2010 to 17% in 2022.
In 2010, about 13% of the time, federal agencies would reply to FOIA requests by saying they couldn’t find records pertaining to the request. By 2022, the rate of that type of response had increased to 21%, which officials often attributed to outdated record management systems incapable of keeping up with the massive amounts of electronic records, particularly emails.
Backlogs, where requests languish beyond the 20-day legal requirement for completion, have nearly doubled since 2010, from 12% of total requests to 22%. The average number of days it takes to process simple requests, which require little staff time and a smaller volume of records, has doubled since 2014, from 21 days to 41 days, according to Justice Department reports.

  • That includes denying people’s requests about properly withheld intelligence information.
  • But it also includes refusing to release information on topics of great public interest, such as defective consumer products and employment discrimination cases.
  • And some agencies’ public information officers obstruct public access to information.
  • They limit access to the people and documents most important for government transparency and accountability.

Research-based solutions

  • Independent oversight offices with enforcement power, such as in Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania and more than 80 nations, provide private citizens an alternative to litigation.
  • Our preliminary assessment indicates that there is a lot of work left to do, and that Congress and government agencies have ignored many of the recommendations.
  • He is currently director of the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, a nonpartisan organization at the University of Florida dedicated to research and education in freedom of information since 1977.
  • The Brechner FOI Project coordinates Sunshine Week to educate the public about their right to know.

Tom Klonecki joins Benefitfocus as chief operating officer

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

Benefitfocus, one of the leading benefits administration providers in the industry, announced today that Tom Klonecki has joined the company as chief operating officer (COO), effective Feb. 26, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Benefitfocus, one of the leading benefits administration providers in the industry, announced today that Tom Klonecki has joined the company as chief operating officer (COO), effective Feb. 26, 2024.
  • Klonecki will report to Andrew Frend, president, Benefitfocus.
  • As COO, Klonecki will oversee the teams that deliver implementation, client management, contact center support, data exchanges and administrative services for clients.
  • Klonecki will serve as a member of the Benefitfocus leadership team alongside Crystal Brown, senior vice president, health plan business; Ed Rumzis, chief technology officer; and Greg Mercer, senior vice president, sales.

Americor Appoints Client Services Director Rasheeda James to Vice President of Client Services

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 4, 2024

IRVINE, Calif., March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Americor Financial, a leading provider of debt relief solutions, announced today the appointment of Rasheeda James as its new Vice President of Client Services.

Key Points: 
  • IRVINE, Calif., March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Americor Financial, a leading provider of debt relief solutions , announced today the appointment of Rasheeda James as its new Vice President of Client Services.
  • James will be responsible for overseeing the planning, development, and execution of our client service goals by leading cross-functional client services and client onboarding teams to improve customer relationships and satisfaction, along with company response time to client concerns.
  • Her promotion to Vice President of Client Services is a testament to her dedication, expertise, and proven track record of success.
  • James has held various management, operations, and client services roles in several different industries, always with a focus on best serving the client and improving company profitability.

The Inner Circle Acknowledges, Lauren A. Stevenot, DDS as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 26, 2024

CINCINNATI, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Lauren A. Stevenot, DDS is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for her contributions to the Dentistry field.

Key Points: 
  • CINCINNATI, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Lauren A. Stevenot, DDS is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for her contributions to the Dentistry field.
  • She serves as an integral part of Reading Family Dental, a trusted family practice where she works alongside her uncle, Dr. Alan Laub, DDS.
  • Her brother, Dr. Ryan Dull, DDS, is currently serving in the U.S. Navy as a dentist.
  • She looks forward to serving the Reading community for years to come and continuing her journey of excellence in dentistry.

Avant Technologies, Inc. Appoints Seasoned Technology Operations Leader Angela Harris as Chief Operating Officer

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

With a distinguished career marked by leadership roles in both Fortune 50 and high-profile venture-backed global technology firms, Harris brings a wealth of experience to Avant Technologies.

Key Points: 
  • With a distinguished career marked by leadership roles in both Fortune 50 and high-profile venture-backed global technology firms, Harris brings a wealth of experience to Avant Technologies.
  • Angela also served as Chief of Staff for SVP HR Technology & Operations at HP, where she was accountable for strategic and operational alignment of programs associated with the Technology & Operations HR people plan.
  • Commenting on her appointment, Angela Harris said, "I am honored to join Avant Technologies as Chief Operating Officer.
  • Angela Harris holds a Master's degree in Human Resources from Marquette University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and English from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Availity Appoints Jennifer Irwin as Chief Marketing Officer

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Availity , the nation’s largest real-time health information network, announced the appointment of Jennifer Irwin as the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

Key Points: 
  • Availity , the nation’s largest real-time health information network, announced the appointment of Jennifer Irwin as the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).
  • Irwin is a results-oriented marketing leader with nearly 25 years of experience in business-to-business software as a service (SaaS) marketing across end markets including healthcare, benefits, and financial services.
  • She brings a proven track record of leading marketing and communications strategy to support Availity’s next phase of expansion and innovation in payer-provider connectivity.
  • “Jennifer has a strong record of building high-performing teams, aligning marketing strategies to achieve business outcomes, and driving marketing-influenced revenue growth,” said Russ Thomas, CEO of Availity.

Yukon Partners Promotes David Sampair to Partner

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 1, 2024

Yukon Partners (“Yukon”), a Minneapolis based middle market junior capital firm, has promoted David Sampair to Partner.

Key Points: 
  • Yukon Partners (“Yukon”), a Minneapolis based middle market junior capital firm, has promoted David Sampair to Partner.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201134726/en/
    “We are very pleased to announce the promotion of David Sampair to Partner,” said William Dietz, Managing Partner.
  • “David epitomizes the core values and principles of Yukon and, over the past 12 years, has been a significant contributor to our success.
  • David holds a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and is an inactive CPA.

Temporary Wall Systems expands into the Badger State with a new location in Southern Wisconsin

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 2, 2024

MADISON, Wis., Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Temporary Wall Systems (TWS), the first and leading full-service, temporary containment wall provider in the United States, will celebrate the opening of its new Southern Wisconsin location by sponsoring a booth at the Associated Builders and Contractors Wisconsin SuperCon24 event at the Glacier Canyon Lodge Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Feb. 6-8.

Key Points: 
  • Owners Jessica and Ryan Murphy will introduce their new Temporary Wall Systems Southern Wisconsin to the construction community at the event and will have a containment wall sample and educational material at Booth 37 at the conference.
  • While we've both run our own businesses for several years, our Temporary Wall Systems venture allows us to run a business together."
  • Temporary Wall Systems Southern Wisconsin serves the areas of Brookfield, Madison, Mequon, Middleton, Milwaukee, Oconomowoc, Racine, Sun Prairie, Thiensville, Verona and Waukesha, Wisconsin.
  • For more information about Temporary Wall Systems Southern Wisconsin, visit https://tempwallsystems.com/locations/southern-wisconsin/ .

Star Mountain Capital Bolsters Secondaries Team Adding Former $500+ Billion in Assets Truist Bank’s Head of Private Capital Manager Research, Ravi Ugale, as a Managing Director

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Key Points: 
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123124540/en/
    Ravi Ugale, Star Mountain Capital Managing Director (Photo: Business Wire)
    Ravi Ugale has over 30 years of private capital fund and direct investment experience, business operations, governance, and leadership experience.
  • His alternatives investment experience includes private credit, secondaries, private equity, venture capital and real assets.
  • “With over 10 years of success in private credit and private equity secondaries, and with growing opportunities in these asset classes, we’re thrilled to welcome Ravi to join our team.” said Brett Hickey , Star Mountain Capital Founder & CEO.
  • In addition, he oversaw selection and coverage of illiquid and semi-liquid long dated assets within private equity, private credit, private real estate, and private real assets.

Zurich North America announces key leadership changes in Crop and Direct Markets businesses

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 25, 2024

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zurich North America, a market leader in insurance and risk management services, announced key leadership changes in its Direct Markets and Crop businesses today.

Key Points: 
  • Jason Meador appointed Head of Direct Markets as Vince Santivasi retires; Dalynn Hoch rejoins Zurich North America to lead RCIS.
  • SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zurich North America, a market leader in insurance and risk management services, announced key leadership changes in its Direct Markets and Crop businesses today.
  • Meador will continue to report to Zurich North America CEO, Kristof Terryn , as a member of Zurich North America's Executive Committee.
  • Hoch will report to Zurich North America CEO Kristof Terryn and be a member of Zurich North America's Executive Committee.