Skip Elliott
Inspector General for the Department of Transportation
Acting
In office
May 16, 2020 – January 11, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMitch Behm (Acting)
Succeeded byEric J. Soskin
5th Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
In office
October 30, 2017 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyDrue Pearce
Preceded byMarie Dominguez
Succeeded byTBD
Personal details
EducationIndiana University, Bloomington (BA)
Columbia Southern University (MA)

Howard R. "Skip" Elliott is an American government official who served as the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration from 2017 to 2021.

From May 2020 to January 2021, Elliott had been Acting Inspector General of the Department of Transportation.[1][2] His appointment was considered notable for the fact that Elliott was head of an office that was investigating his own actions.[3]

Elliott left both positions on January 20, 2021.[4]

Education

Elliot earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and forensic science from Indiana University. He received the first ever Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University's Department of Criminal Justice. Elliott is a member of the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences Executive Dean's Advisory Committee.[5] He later earned a Master's degree from Columbia Southern University.[6]

Career

Prior to assuming his role as Administrator, Elliott had a 40-year career in the U.S. freight rail industry, beginning as a railroad police officer in Elkhart, Indiana. Most recently, he served as vice president of public safety, health, environment and security for CSX Transportation, where he was responsible for hazardous materials transportation safety, homeland security, railroad policing, crisis management, environmental compliance and operations, occupational health management, and continuity of business operations. Elliott has developed and implemented computer-based tools to assist emergency management officials, first responders, and homeland security personnel in preparing for and responding to railroad hazardous materials and security incidents.[7][8][9]

Elliott is a recipient of the Association of American Railroads Holden-Proefrock Award for lifetime achievement in hazardous materials transportation safety.

References

  1. ^ Mintz, Sam (May 20, 2020). "DOT watchdog shuffle alarms lawmakers". POLITICO. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Democrats Protest Removal of Transportation Watchdog". www.voanews.com. May 20, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "As Trump removes federal watchdogs, some loyalists replacing them have 'preposterous' conflicts". The Washington Post. 2020.
  4. ^ "Government Officials at the US Department of Transportation | US Department of Transportation". www.transportation.gov.
  5. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration". whitehouse.gov. September 8, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2017 – via National Archives.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "Howard "Skip" Elliott | PHMSA". www.phmsa.dot.gov. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Vantuono, William (September 10, 2017). "Elliott slated for PHMSA post". Railway Age. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  8. ^ Snow, Nick (September 11, 2017). "White House plans to nominate Elliott for PHMSA administrator". Oil & Gas Journal. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  9. ^ "Statement of Howard R. "Skip" Elliott Nominee for Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration U.S. Department of Transportation" (PDF).
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