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Writing, editing, and training professional with nearly

Writing and training professional


nearly four decades' experience
four decadeswith
of experience
MICHAEL PETER FRUITMAN
Herndon, Virginia 201714577
703.793.8680
mpfwriter@gmail.com

Immediate availability
Almost 40 years of federal writing and editing experience; most recently 8 months with a
consulting firm (2014) successfully supervising a team of eight people performing financial
management policy updates for a large federal agency. Twenty-nine years in an auditing
environment; over 8 years with Offices of Inspector General (OIG) at Amtrak and the
Departments of Commerce and Transportation. Prior to that, served for 21 years as a
communications specialist at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), working with audit
teams to successfully define message and draft reports and testimony. Also taught courses in
audit writing in each of these offices, as well as on a contract basis for OIG staff of the
Smithsonian Institution and Small Business Administration.
In 2010, honored for exemplary service by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency and with two medals from the Secretary of Commerce for work contributing to realtime reviews of the 2010 United States Census. In 2002, presented a paper at the annual
convention of the Society for Technical Communication entitled Writing for Decision-makers:
Using Evidence and Structure to Persuade.
BA, journalism and psychology, from The George Washington University; masters coursework
in training and development at George Mason University.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
LYNCH CONSULTANTS, LLC

2/201410/2014

WASHINGTON, DC
Position lost due to firm's task order not being renewed

PROGRAM MANAGER/EDITOR/WRITER

Senior program manager for both Lynch task orders at the Department of
Veterans Affairs, focusing primarily on the review and rewriting of financial
policy.
Successfully supervised eight individuals and ensured that assignments were
completed well and on time.
Was the face of Lynch to our VA client while working to ensure their ongoing
satisfaction with Lynch.
Ensured that work was of top quality and presented understandably, with the
readers needs always being met.

Final editorial check on all documents, ensuring consistency of content and


format as well as adherence to source documents, laws, and the latest
regulations.
Made the language understandable to lay readers, as well as sophisticated
enough to be credible to those versed in the field.
Mr. Fruitman is, in short, a customer-focused professional whose interpersonal
skills have made him a natural for positive client interaction and troubleshooting.

AMTRAK OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

1/20115/2013

WASHINGTON, DC
Position eliminated due to Reduction-in-Force

PRINCIPAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

In this role, served as the Office's editor, reviewing virtually all products,
internal and external, from reports and testimony to congressional
correspondence and communications to Amtrak management.
Frequently worked with auditors directly to resolve issues of support or
communication, ensuring that the Office's standards were met and its
message clearly communicated.
Similarly, worked with OIG's Office of Investigations to help it produce more
polished reports concerning wrongdoing within the company.
In addition, he was instrumental in working with a contract designer to write
and produce OIG's first three Semiannual Reports to Congress following the
November 2009 arrival of the then-new Inspector General.
Relatedly, instituted a new, more modern design for OIG reports.
Beyond these specific tasks, assisted the Amtrak IG in bringing added
discipline, professionalism, and consistency to Office communications.
Chaired committees on internal and external communications following a
study of Amtrak OIG conducted, at the IG's invitation, by the National
Academy of Public Administration in an effort to raise Office standards.
Finally, took charge of organizing various other assorted communicationsrelated functions, such as the semiannual all-hands meetings.

US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL


WASHINGTON, DC

9/200912/2010

LEAD WRITER-EDITOR

As lead editor with one junior colleague and one contract editor, coordinated
editorial staff interaction with audit staff to ensure that reports, testimony,
and briefings were accurate, conveyed the intended message, issued on
time, and contained no errors.
Coordinated early editorial staff work with auditors to help develop report
message and draft reports and testimony.

Ensured that the written product clearly and persuasively expressed its point
without over-reliance on technical terminology or nonessential detail.
His staff also handled final copyediting and proofreading and coordination of
graphic elements.
Worked closely with OIG management (including the IG).
One area in which he made a clear difference was testimony: the previous
Commerce IG did little, if any, testifying before Congress.
In contrast, the present IG is frequently in demand, and in every case, Mr.
Fruitman was heavily involved in testimony preparationassisting with
writing and handling all editing.
One important area in which he was deeply involved was the operation of the
Decennial Census.
This work required not only frequent testimony but also quarterly reports to
Congressalmost two dozen products in 18 months.
He was recognized as a member of two Census teams that received highlevel Commerce awards.
Point person in hiring temporary contract editors: judging resumes and
qualifications and writing decision documents that withstood the demands of
contracting requirements.
In addition, his staff worked with the Government Printing Office to procure
design services aimed at totally revamping the look and organization of OIG
reports.

US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,

5/20059/2009

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL


WASHINGTON, DC
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER/WRITER-EDITOR

Responsible for writing/editing/coordinating development of complex


technical written and briefing materials to be suitable and clear to a largely
lay audiencewithout sacrificing technical accuracy or meaning.
Materials usually reports or testimonysometimes sensitive and/or
controversialbut also include speeches, guidance, and training documents,
for use by internal customers, outside clients (the press, Hill staff), and the
public.
Mr. Fruitman's most important task was to assume the role of the intended
audience, and ensure that all that needed to be said and explained was, in a
way that was clear and complete and supported by facts.
The position also entailed independent research to ensure the accuracy of
information.
In developing speeches and other non-report products, he discovered what
was needed by the speaker, provided drafts and editing as required, and
made suggestions as to design and format.

US GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE (GAO)

5/19844/2005

WASHINGTON, DC
COMMUNICATIONS ANALYST

The senior communications analyst among four in a team of 160 people,


served as an internal writing consultant, working with analysts to define the
message of audit reviews and how the resulting report or testimony should
be structured.
Worked with the teams in writing and editing products, from beginning to
end, rough drafts to polished documents.
Such a position required not only good writing and time-management skills
but also initiative and tact.
One notable accomplishment: From 19972000, he assisted his supervisor,
GAO's Year 2000 point man, with numerous reports and testimonyat one
point, five hearings within ten business days. He also taught several writingrelated courses at GAO between 1985 and 2005.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

9/19755/1984

WASHINGTON, DC
WRITER-EDITOR

Basic writing and editing for exhibits that traveled around the country and
those shown in Washington; included hall label copy, wall copy, and catalogs.
Also taught museum-label-writing to other museum professionals.
On one occasion worked with the curator of the US Supreme Court for an
exhibit at the Court on Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes.

EDUCATION
George Mason University

1980s

Fairfax, VA

Some Masters coursework in Training and Development successfully completed.

The George Washington University


Washington, DC

BA in Journalism and Psychology.

1974

JOB RELEATED TRAINING


2005-2010:
US Census Bureau training in:
Nonresponse Follow-up (to prepare for observation of field Census workers)
Influencing Skills
Critical Thinking
Communicating Strategically
Successfully Managing People
Federal Financial Management
Creativity and Innovation
1986-2005:
Training in Instructional and Communication Skills/Experienced:
Advanced Supervision
Managerial Leadership
Managerial Decision-making
Managerial Competencies Workshop
Preparing Effective Presentations
Executive Summary Workshop*
Writing Testimony*
Writing Seminar*
Report Development and Review*
Report Writing and Message Development*
Performance Management
Presenting Data and Information.
* Also taught these courses.

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS
1999, 2000: Invited coauthor (with GAO head of IT audit group) of two articles on
Year 2000 computer readiness, published in the Summer 1999 and Summer 2000
issues of the GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTANTS JOURNAL.
2002: Paper Writing for Decision-Makers: Using Evidence and Structure to
Persuade presented at Society for Technical Communication's 2002 Annual
Conference and published in its PROCEEDINGS.
1979: Coauthored article on writing effective museum labels, published in MUSEUM
NEWS.
1974: Wrote article on how members of Congress can help with various constituent
issues, published in RETIREMENT LIVING.

AWARDS
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
(CIGIE): Glenn/Roth Award for Exemplary Service, Team Award,
2010 Census Oversight Team, October 2010
Department of Commerce: Secretarys Gold Medal, Team Award,
Decennial Census Team, October 2010
Department of Commerce: Inspector Generals Bronze Medal,
Team Award, Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board
Survey Team, September 2010
DOT/OIG: Spot Award, May 2009
Employee of the Year, 2006
Five team awards, 20062007
GAO: Over two dozen individual and team awards, 1984-2005

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
Office of Elections, Fairfax County, VA

2010-present

Chief Elections Officer spanning 6-8 election cycles


Officer for state attorney general recount, 2013

Northern Virginia Hotline

mid-1980s

A listening, referral, and suicide-prevention organization

Worked as a volunteer listener, trainer, and board member


Coauthored and edited its training manual
Editor of its internal and external newsletters

Edited a 100-page Master's dissertation

mid-1980s

REFERENCES
David Halstead, Managing Partner, Lynch Consultants, LLC,
dhalstead@lynchconsultants.com, 703.501.2367
Rhonda Shaffer-Foster, Director, Office of Cash, Cost, and Debt Management
Services, Office of Financial Policy, Department of Veterans Affairs, rhonda.shafferfoster@va.gov, 202.461.6487
Ted Alves, Amtrak Inspector General, ted.alves@amtrakoig.gov, 202.906.4600
Todd Zinser, Commerce Inspector General, tzinser@oig.doc.gov, 202.482.4661
Kevin Dungey, Ph.D., Co-Director, Quality Communications Group, Inc.,
dungey@erols.com, 410.744.1539

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