Amtrak Board of Directors appointed Kevin Winters as the new Amtrak inspector general, effective immediately. He succeeds Tom Howard, who will retire after four decades of experience in senior federal accountability positions.

Winters has served as Deputy Inspector General and Counsel since 2015, after serving for ten years as a senior executive with NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Before joining the OIG community, Winters had a career with the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Brigadier General.

Howard announced his retirement plans to Amtrak’s Board of Directors in November. He joined the OIG in 2010 as Deputy Inspector General and has served as the Amtrak Inspector General for the past five years.

During his tenure, Howard spearheaded a reorganization of the OIG that cemented its independence and refocused efforts on becoming a model OIG by providing objective products that addressed high-impact issues faced by Amtrak.

“Tom has provided nothing but honorable and productive service during his time as inspector general, and we wish him the best of luck as he transitions to this exciting phase in his life,” said Coscia. “Tom has left a lasting, positive mark on Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General and I’ve greatly valued his objectivity in providing unvarnished assessments of the company’s programs and operations.”