UVI alumnus Hannibal Ware, U.S. Inspector General & accomplished financier, has been
selected as the keynote speaker. A native of the Virgin Islands, Hannibal “Mike” Ware holds
a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from the University of the Virgin Islands,
earned in 1991. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executive Service Career Development
Program. Ware has received numerous awards throughout his career, including several
awards from the Council of the Inspectors on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), as
recognition for his significant work in the Inspector General community.
Ware was sworn in as U.S. Inspector General on May 24, 2018, following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He is responsible for independent oversight of Small Business Administration’s (SBA) programs and operations, which encompass more than $100 billion in guaranteed loans and nearly $100 billion in federal contracting dollars. In addition, he currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee for the CIGIE.
From April 2016 to January 2017, Ware served as the deputy inspector general, and he served as the acting inspector general from January 2017 until his appointment to be the inspector general.
Ware has 30 years of experience within the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) community, the first 26 years being with the Department of Interior (DOI) OIG. In 1990, he joined the DOI OIG’s Virgin Islands field office as an auditor and later became the field office supervisor. Throughout his long and distinguished oversight career, he performed increasingly challenging and vital roles within the OIG community.
From the Virgin Islands field office, Ware was promoted to eastern regional manager, where he provided leadership of all phases of the technical and administrative operation of the region, including planning and managing audits, inspections, evaluations, and joint investigations. Ware later moved to DOI OIG’s Office of Management and served as the deputy assistant inspector general for management. In this capacity, he executed DOI OIG’s independent operating budget and managed the logistical concerns for the office’s nationwide presence. In April 2016, he was appointed to the senior executive service as the SBA OIG deputy inspector general.