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Elias Sissamis, the newly appointed Nueces County auditor, says his focus will be on accountability, fraud prevention and improving financial transpar

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — There’s a new face stepping into a key role in Nueces County. 

RELATED: Digging deep: How Nueces County recovered nearly $2M after recent phishing scam

The Nueces County Board of Judges have appointed a new county auditor.

Elias Sissamis brings more than 30 years of experience in accounting and budget analysis. After just over a week on the job, he says he’s eager to put his ideas into action.

“They want to come in and find where are your hotspots. Where are your holes, where can someone get in, where can someone get out. Are your procedures being followed? Are the numbers right? Is the cost being recorded correctly?” he said.

The county auditor works closely with the budget officer to oversee millions of taxpayer dollars.

It’s not just data Sissamis knows well. Throughout his career, he’s also gained experience in fraud detection — a skill the county is glad to have after recovering nearly $2 million stolen in a phishing scam back in August.

“All the jobs had some element, as fraud was on the rise starting in the ’90s. We were all starting to get hit with the responsibility of detecting it proactively, putting safeguards in place, that kind of thing,” he said.

Nueces County Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney says that as county government continues to evolve, having a strong auditor in place is key to keeping finances running smoothly.

“The Legislature has put forth legislation that continues to limit our ability to budget, limits our ability to do certain things. So I think he comes in with a leaner operation, with less responsibility but a lot of challenge,” he said.