Inspector General H. David Kotz will leave the SEC at the end of January to join a private investigative services firm.  Mr. Kotz was appointed in December 2007 and is the second SEC Inspector General since the position was created in 1989.  During his tenure he has engaged in a large number of investigations criticizing agency practices and employees.  According to a Wall Street Journal article, "[t]he announcement provoked widely different reactions, reflecting the polarizing nature of Mr. Kotz's relentless approach to rooting out perceived misconduct at the agency. Former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt hailed Mr. Kotz's departure as marking the end of a 'reign of terror,' while a supporter countered that the SEC now needed another equally 'good inspector general' to hold it to account."  It is unknown at this time who will succeed Mr. Kotz.