Written Testimony of William Kirk, Nominee for SBA Inspector General — September 10, 2025

Summary

Written testimony of William "Bill" Kirk, nominee for Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration, addressed to Chair Ernst, Ranking Member Markey and members of the Committee, dated September 10, 2025. The nominee describes his professional background, including work at Price Waterhouse, administrative roles at the University of Notre Dame and Ave Maria University, and service at the Department of Education and the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of the Inspector General. He states that if confirmed he will conduct investigations and audits without bias or political favor, comply with the Inspector General Act, and work to root out fraud, waste, and abuse at the SBA. The statement also pledges a productive working relationship with the Committee and the Administrator while maintaining the independence of the office.

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Written Testimony:
William “Bill” Kirk, Nominee for Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration


Chair Ernst, Ranking Member Markey, and Distinguished members of the Committee,

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today as President Trump’s nominee for
Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

I am deeply honored and humbled by this nomination, and I thank President Trump for his
expression of confidence in me.

I approach this opportunity to serve with a profound sense of gratitude:

   •   I thank God for the gift that is my Catholic faith that leads me to love, honor, and serve
       Him in this world with the hope of being with Him in the next.
   •   I want to thank, and honor my departed parents, Walter and Alice Kirk, who were tirelessly
       devoted to raising their seven children to be faithful, generous, productive, and patriotic
       members of society.
   •   I also thank my siblings and their families, my in-laws, Pat and Alice Rhea, and my friends
       and colleagues for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout my life.

Finally, I am blessed beyond measure and grateful to my wife Elizabeth for her love and support
and the sacrifices she makes for me and our four children, Will, Ben, Alice, and Nicholas, who are
here today.

President Trump has made clear his unwavering commitment to fighting fraud, waste, and abuse
in the federal government; I look forward to joining that fight by applying my practical business
and executive management experience to leading the SBA’s Office of the Inspector General.

My first job upon graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Accountancy
was with the internationally renowned accounting firm then known as Price Waterhouse, where I
was a staff auditor and then senior consultant.

Working essentially full-time during law school, I was hired upon graduation by Notre Dame to
serve as an assistant – and then associate – Vice President of the University with responsibility for
supervising and managing three major departments:

   •   the disciplinary office, holding students to meaningful accountability for violating
       university rules and regulations;
   •   the extensive housing and residence hall system, widely regarded to be among the most
       successful and distinctive such programs in the country;
   •   and the University Police Department, where I oversaw and partnered with scores of sworn
       law enforcement officers, investigators, detectives, and security personnel.




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Written Testimony:
William “Bill” Kirk, Nominee for Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration
   I had a similar and expanded role at a faithful Catholic university, Ave Maria University in
Florida, where I also managed the University’s extensive real estate investments, serving as the
Vice President for Legal Affairs and as the University’s chief compliance officer.

    I’ve been privileged to provide leadership and operational supervision for multiple departments
in a global forensic engineering, architecture and material sciences firm, and to lead a foundation
that provided scholarship assistance to elementary and secondary schools in Kansas.

With several partners I worked on the development of a model of sustainable private equity
financing, intended to provide patient capital to foster the long-term stability of small and mid-
sized businesses who were committed to ethical practices and upholding the dignity of their
workers.

I’ve been privileged to be a public servant, first with the Department of Education as a Deputy
General Counsel, and then with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of the Inspector
General, as an associate - and then deputy - counsel, and then acting Counsel to the Inspector
General.
In these roles I provided independent legal and policy advice to the IG and the various component
offices of the Office of the Inspector General.
I’m currently on detail from the EPA OIG to lend assistance to the General Counsel’s office of the
Department of Education as the Acting Chief of Staff to the General Counsel.

My professional record demonstrates my integrity, and the skills, knowledge, judgment, and
demeanor required of an inspector general.

As the nominee-designate for the SBA, I am committed to upholding the values that make our
nation strong and look forward to the opportunity to serve my country – and in particular – the 34
million small businesses that are the lifeblood of our economy.

Should I be confirmed, I will maintain a steadfast commitment to fairness and objectivity, ensuring
that all investigations and audits are conducted without prejudice, bias, or political favor.

I am committed to ensuring fairness, accountability, and opportunity for all.

I will uphold the law, and I pledge to execute the responsibilities of the Inspector General with
impartiality and objectivity, fully complying with the Inspector General Act.

I assure this Committee that my work will be nonpartisan, driven solely by facts and the pursuit of
truth to ensure the Small Business Administration operates with integrity and efficiency.

If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to root out fraud, waste, and abuse, and to promote transparency,
accountability, and the success of America’s small businesses.
I am committed to maintaining a cordial and productive working relationship with this Committee,
with the Congress as a whole, and with the Administrator, while also demonstrating the
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Written Testimony:
William “Bill” Kirk, Nominee for Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration
independence – both in fact, and in appearance – that is so essential to the role of an inspector
general.

Finally, I want to again thank President Trump for the invitation to assist him in helping to ensure
that our government serves the American people.

Thank you. I look forward to your questions.



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