The Securities and Exchange Commission has named Sean McKessy to oversee the new Whistleblower Office in the Division of Enforcement. The Office will consolidate existing resources to administer the whistleblower provisions called for by The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

In that role, McKessy will lead a program charged with working with whistleblowers, handling their tips and complaints, and helping the Commission determine the awards for individuals who provide the agency with information that leads to successful enforcement actions.

McKessy rejoins the SEC, where he was a senior counsel in the Division of Enforcement from 1997 to 2000. More recently, McKessy served as corporate secretary for both Altria Group and AOL and as securities counsel for Caterpillar. In these roles, McKessy developed and supervised internal compliance and reporting programs related to the federal securities laws, served as corporate compliance officer, and coordinated the reporting of potential violations to boards of directors.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires the SEC to pay rewards to individuals who voluntarily provide the Commission with original information that leads to successful SEC enforcement actions and certain related actions. The Commission is in the process of developing rules that will guide the whistleblower program