Bill Holland
Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bill’s family sent me his obituary today…
William G. Holland (Bill), distinguished public servant, loving father, and adoring grandfather, died peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Seattle, Washington on August 10, 2024. He was 72.
Bill was born in Joliet, Illinois, on November 22, 1951, to Edward James Holland and Jane Murdock Holland. Raised in Prairie Village, Kansas, he was the fifth of six children. In 1970, he moved to Seattle to attend Seattle University, graduating in 1974 with a degree in Public Affairs. While at Seattle University, Bill met Liz Meagher, currently Liz Bernahl, and the two married after graduation. They later divorced, but remained friends until his death and together raised three beautiful children.
Bill worked proudly in public service to the state of Illinois for 41 years. Early in his career, Bill served as director of the Illinois House Majority Appropriations Committee Staff and the first director of the Illinois General Assembly’s Washington D.C. Office. In 1983, he was appointed chief of staff for Illinois Senate President, Phillip J. Rock, a position he held for nearly 10 years.
In 1992 Bill was appointed Illinois Auditor General by the 87th Illinois General Assembly. As the state’s longest-serving auditor general, Bill’s career spanned the administrations of five governors, five state treasurers, and six state comptrollers, earning him establishing him a well-earned reputation for fairness, objectivity, and high ethical standards. He loved each day as Auditor General, and was quick to deflect credit and recognition to his staff and their hard work.
As Auditor General, Bill was a committed member of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers (NASACT), serving as its President and ultimately being inducted into the NASACT Hall of Fame in 2022. Bill cherished the many friends he made over the course of his career. He retired from public service in 2015.
While Bill loved his work in state government, he was most proud of his three children, their spouses, and his seven grandchildren. Known for his sense of humor, his favorite and most frequent punch line was himself. He was a skillful handyman, principled gin player, above-average golfer (at times), fervent Fighting Illini basketball fan, dedicated saloon enthusiast, and consummate good neighbor.
After his diagnosis of colon cancer, Bill moved to Seattle to live his best life near his children and grandchildren. Never one to complain, Bill plowed through cancer, finding joy working on house projects, attending sporting events and playing cards with his grandkids, re-discovering Seattle on an electric bike, and watching the ships come into port from his living room window overlooking the Puget Sound.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Edward James Holland and Jane Murdock Holland. He is survived by his siblings, Edward James Holland, Jr. (Bridget), James Holland (Julie), Mary Schmidt (Chuck), Jack Holland (Karen), and Jan Stacy (Jim); his children, Meghan Squires (Greg), Tom Holland (Catherine), and Jack Holland; and grandchildren, Madeleine, Maggie, Lydia, Johnny Holland and Charlotte, Rudy and Peter Squires. Bill’s legacy of family, friendship, good humor and doing-the-right-thing will be carried forward by his family and friends.
Bill will be remembered as a public leader of high integrity, a dear friend to many, and a father and grandfather full of wise cracks and wisdom.
His children, Meghan, Tom and Jack, will host a Memorial Party in Springfield in the fall. Details T.B.D.
Memorial contributions may be made to the PJR Center and School Foundation – https://www.pjrfoundation.org/.
He was one of the finest public servants this state has produced.
* The Sun-Times published this story on his retirement in 2016…
William Holland, the Illinois auditor general who has shaken up Springfield for decades with his critical reports of state agency spending and performance, announced Wednesday that he is retiring at the end of the year.
Holland has served in the post since 1992 when he was first appointed to the job by the General Assembly.
Holland had a longtime, ironclad hold on his office and is known as a non-partisan, independent auditor despite previous partisan jobs in the General Assembly.
In 2014, his scathing audits of the state’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative became campaign fodder for Gov. Bruce Rauner’s election campaign.
The audits showed that Gov. Pat Quinn promised millions of dollars in state money to a series of neighborhood groups before his 2010 election. Some of the grants went to questionable recipients.
His office also issued a scathing audit of the state’s Department of Central Management Services under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration.
Holland said that audit received the “worst” pushback out of the thousands that his office had done over the year.
* From one of his exit interviews…
Q: Back in 2005, your office came out with an explosive audit of the state’s purchasing agency under former Gov. Blagojevich’s administration. The audit found that the agency shelled out more than half a million tax dollars to contractors for questionable expenses. Some of it was used to pay for their wining and dining and for parking at a Chicago Bulls game. You got a lot of heat for that audit, right?
A: When we released that audit in 2005, the public was in a love affair with Blagojevich. I think we were the first people who cast some doubt about the quality of the administration. We saw that what was being executed was not described in their press releases. His administration went to great pains to discredit the audit. They selectively leaked portions of it before it was released and claimed they had solved the problems.
The day I released the audit, I had a press conference, and I had never had done that before. I said: Here’s what our findings are. I answered every question. I documented it. Days later, the Blagojevich administration did a flip and accepted all the findings.
He was unearthing things about Blagojevich years after that guy was removed from office. And he had the guts to push back against some simple-minded reforms proposed after Blagojevich’s conviction.
- NotRich - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 11:33 am:
Bill was first and foremost a gentleman.. a class act.
- MAZE - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 11:54 am:
Worked for Bill every day he was the Auditor General. He was an incredible public servant that truly watched over the State of Illinois. Created a family atmosphere in the office that you wouldn’t think an auditors office would be like. Hell of a boss, but a better friend. Lucky to have worked with you. RIP.
- TJ - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 11:57 am:
Being the 843,205th to recognize a problem is no big deal. Being the first to recognize a problem is a huge deal. RIP to one of the firsts.
- Langhorne - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 12:04 pm:
If need be, Bill was quite blunt when giving advice to legislators. I think it was the 80s when the term forensic audit was popular and getting thrown around frequently. He explained to the sponsor in a public meeting that “forensic audit” had specific meaning for accountants. To do a forensic audit, especially on something as enormous as Medicaid, or some other social service program, would be enormously expensive, difficult, and time consuming. He was polite and respectful, but did not hold back.
- It's Just a Pill - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 12:21 pm:
It’s not easy to have a pristine reputation after decades in Springfield, but Bill pulled it off. He’ll be missed.
- Frumpy White Guy - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 12:21 pm:
This will not be the same without Bill. Rest in peace my dear friend.
- jim - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 12:36 pm:
always thought he was a straight shooter and a great ag - maybe he learned it from Phil Rock, another decent guy.
certainly better than the guy in now
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 12:53 pm:
RIP Bill. Another of the good ones that made the Capitol work. Definitely had good humor, but as a Republican staffer on the opposite side, didn’t see it as much until after we left our partisan jobs.
- Kent Redfield - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 1:10 pm:
Rich – Thank you for posting this. Everything you wrote about Bill is spot on.
I first met Bill in 1975 when I started work as a legislative analysis with the House Democratic Staff. For more than 45 years I knew him as a colleague, as a staff director when he was Rock’s Chief of Staff and I ran the Legislative Staff Intern Program at UIS, as the Auditor General, most recently as a member of the NPR-IL Community Advisory Board, and most importantly, as a mentor and friend.
Through all of that he demonstrated all of the qualities that epitomizes a true public servant. He was dedicated, wise, clear headed, honest, and above all caring for the people he worked for and the people who worked for him. He was fair, but also tough and demanding and did not suffer fools gladly. He understood politics and its role in making government work. He had no patience or faith with those wanted to reform Illinois politics, but, as he put it, were “offended by the process.”
I will always value the insights and understanding I gained from working with him. But above all, I will remember the kindness and concern he showed to me and my wife and family. Illinois has lost a giant.
- Charlie Wheeler - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 1:11 pm:
Bill Holland was among the finest public servants I was privileged to know during my 50-year career as a journalist and a university professor. He was a valued source about state budgets, fiscal policy, and campaign strategy for me and by extension my Sun-Times readers during his time as House Democratic appropriations chief, then as Senate Democratic chief of staff. After I left the Sun-Times in fall, 1993, to become director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at UIS shortly after Bill had been named auditor general, he readily agreed to speak to my students each fall, giving them an overview of the state’s budgeting and appropriations processes and explaining his office’s oversight of fiscal operations.
Despite his Democratic background, as auditor he was a model of fairness and nonpartisanship. He was also pragmatic; one of his earliest achievements was to resolve a long-standing dispute with the state supreme court about whether the auditor had the constitutional authority to audit two court-related agencies. In cooperation with then chief justice Benjamin K. Miller, the court opened the agencies’ books to Holland, while continuing to deny any legal obligation to do so. Bill Holland set a very high standard for every public official– may his memory be a blessing.
- Downstate - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 1:15 pm:
Beautiful tribute.
- OneMan - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 1:16 pm:
Hope they name something worthwhile after him.
- Hack in the Back - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 1:27 pm:
One of the best people I came across working in the Capitol. A partisan when needed, a pragmatist when required, but always a professional. Rest in peace, my friend.
- Oldtimer - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 2:09 pm:
As a long-time Chief of Staff who also oversaw some tough election campaigns, Bill might not have seemed to be the most likely candidate to be Auditor General. If I remember correctly, it took him two separate votes in the Senate before gaining confirmation. However, once in place, Bill ran a very professional office. During the early Blagojevich years, he totally supported his staff and ably defended several hard-hitting audits against severe pressure from the administration.
- OAG Alum - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 2:47 pm:
I worked with Bill in the early 90’s at the Auditor General’s Office. Great guy and a total professional. When he first arrived in 1992 everyone thought he was going to be a political hack. Far from it. He oversaw a great group of professionals and his audits spared no one on either side of the aisle. One of the few guys I knew that drank Natural Light, too
He’ll be missed.
- Jim Durkin - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 3:22 pm:
One of the finest men I had the privilege to work with.
- Zack Stamp - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 3:27 pm:
I had the opportunity to work against and with Bill Holland. On the Senate Republican staff chief among my responsibilities was to attempt to frustrate the efforts of the Senate Democrats both on the floor and in the campaigns. When I moved back to the Governors legislative office, we still occasionally found ourselves going toe to toe but quite often given the relationship that Phil Rock and the Governor had we were shoulder to shoulder. Roger sweet played a major role in getting Bill the votes to be confirmed, I argued that he was wrong. Bill, Roger and myself included were all too partisan to be a good Auditor General–Roger was right, I was wrong. Bill proved me wrong consistently. All my dealing friendly or heated, and there were some, you could not question his knowledge, integrity or professionalism. Illinois was a better place because of Bill Holland.
- Former Employee - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 3:40 pm:
I was lucky enough to work for Bill at the OAG. It was so gratifying to be PROUD of your boss, especially as a State employee. He was incredibly savvy, and completely bipartisan in his role as AG. I saw the behind the scenes stuff — he was truly a straight-shooter. We’ve lost a very big man. I’ll miss you, Bill.
- Marty Green - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 3:48 pm:
Having worked in Government for many years, I got to know Bill during his time in the Senate President’s Office. When I became the Vice President for the CPA Society and Bill was Auditor General, I worked with him closely. Always took my calls and explained issues and implications. Very committed to the mission of the Auditor General and not afraid to make the tough calls. We saw it when he released the CMS Audit under Gov Blagojevich. His presser and responses to questions were a warning sign that came true. A consummate professional and true gentleman who graced the State House.
- Retired lobster - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 3:57 pm:
To Oldtimer: Yes, it took two votes in the Senate to get Bill elected AG. And do you know who went to Senate GOP Leader Pate Philip and several other Republican senators after the vote that denied Bill the AG job to tell them they made a mistake voting against Bill, and that he was well suited for the job? Bill’s counterpart and Pate’s chief of staff…Roger Sweet.
- Vote Quimby - Monday, Aug 12, 24 @ 4:49 pm:
Thank you for your service to the state, and condolences to his family and many friends.