Office of Inspector General
Inspector General's Biography

Martin J. Dickman

Martin J. Dickman was appointed Inspector General of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) in October 1994. As Inspector General, he is responsible for promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and for detecting any waste, fraud or abuse in the programs and operations of the RRB.

RRB, an independent Federal agency headquartered in Chicago, administers comprehensive disability, retirement-survivor and unemployment-sickness insurance benefit programs for the nation's railroad workers and their families. The RRB also has administrative responsibilities for certain benefit payments under the Social Security Act and administers Medicare Part B, the physician service aspect of the Medicare program, for qualified railroad beneficiaries.

The agency’s central mission is to pay accurate and timely benefits. According to preliminary fiscal year (FY) 2008 statistics, RRB paid just over $10 billion in retirement and survivor benefits to roughly 596,000 beneficiaries. RRB also paid more than $78 million in net unemployment and sickness insurance benefits to approximately 28,594 claimants during the benefit year ending June 30, 2008. During FY 2008, the Railroad Medicare Part B carrier paid approximately $844 million in medical insurance benefits for roughly 485,948 beneficiaries.

Before his appointment as Inspector General, Mr. Dickman served from 1991-94 as a prosecutor for the Cook County, Illinois State's Attorney's Financial and Governmental Crimes Task Force. His responsibilities included the investigation, indictment and prosecution of criminal cases involving governmental and white collar crimes.

From 1972-91, Mr. Dickman was a member of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago. At the Board of Trade, he served as the presiding judicial officer at Exchange judicial hearings, and as a Director and Member of the Executive Committee. He established policy, long-range strategic plans and international development for the multi-million dollar entity. He also developed legal and administrative policies, and approved budgets for over 800 staff employees and 3,000 members.

Mr. Dickman has conducted legal research and assisted in trial preparation as an Associate with the Law Firm of Peter Fitzpatrick and Associates in Chicago, 1973-89; and presided over tax-related disputes as a Hearings Referee for the Illinois Department of Revenue, 1976-80. He has also interpreted and drafted legislation as Legislative Counsel for the minority leadership of the Illinois House of Representatives, 1972-73; and represented the City of Chicago in various aspects of civil litigation as an Assistant Corporation Counsel, 1970-72.

A native of Chicago, Mr. Dickman is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.S. 1966) and DePaul University College of Law (J.D. 1969). Mr. Dickman is a member of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and has been an active member of the Association of Inspectors General since 1999.