CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — George Holland, the City of Corpus Christi's city auditor, announced Wednesday that he is retiring. His last day will be June 1.
Holland made the announcement during the city's audit committee meeting.
Holland has served as the city auditor since January 2023. The City Council hired him unanimously from a pool of 18 applicants. He is a Texas A&M University graduate and holds several certifications, including that of a Certified Internal Auditor.
In July 2024, the City Council unanimously voted to place Holland on 14 days of paid administrative leave following an executive session. The council later extended that leave through Aug. 27. The reasons for the leave were not publicly disclosed at the time.
In March 2025, 6 Investigates reported that the city's Human Resources Department had launched a workplace misconduct investigation into Holland in July 2023, which later expanded into an external investigation. Attorneys who conducted the probe recommended his removal. The City Council took no disciplinary action.
Holland told 6 Investigates the investigation was a "witch hunt," arguing it was designed to retaliate against him for auditing the HR department. The city told KRIS 6 News that the HR complaint predated Holland's audit of the department by several months.
District 5 Councilman Gil Hernandez told 6 Investigates he characterized the probe as a "hit job" and questioned why the audit committee was never notified before the investigation was launched. Hernandez said the council reviewed the full investigation and chose not to move forward with disciplinary action.
In fall 2024, 6 Investigates reported that Holland had launched a review of city purchasing card spending after the station's public records requests revealed more than $25,000 spent at Corpus Christi Hooks games. Holland issued a memo citing gaps in the city's purchasing card policy and recommended a full audit.
In August 2025, Holland submitted a memo to the mayor and city council stating there was "a reasonable basis to conclude that fraud, abuse, and/or illegal conduct" had occurred involving a $2 million taxpayer incentive awarded to developers of a downtown hotel. Holland's memo alleged developers altered a federal government document to obtain public funding and called for an external investigation.
Following Holland's memo, some council members questioned Holland's credibility in handling the investigation. During a September 2025 council meeting, Mayor Guajardo questioned Holland directly about his investigative process, asking how he could draw conclusions having only heard one side of the matter. Holland maintained that the evidence presented was overwhelming.
Douglas Allison, the Corpus Christi attorney representing competing hotelier Ajit David in the civil lawsuit against the city over the Homewood Suites incentive, is the same attorney who represented Holland during his administrative leave in 2024.
Background: The auditor's office before Holland
Holland was hired after the auditor's office had been without a permanent, certified auditor for years, as 6 Investigates reported.
His predecessor, Kimberly Houston, was promoted to interim city auditor in April 2018 and was required by city ordinance to pass the Certified Internal Auditor exam within one year. 6 Investigates first reported on Houston's certification problems in January 2020. The city granted her three extensions over four years. Houston told KRIS 6 News she had not had time to prepare for the exam due to her workload. City Manager Peter Zanoni told 6 Investigates that Houston had passed the first two parts of the exam but missed the third part by 10 points.
In June 2022, 6 Investigates reported that Houston's extensions had run out and the city had begun searching for a new auditor. Holland was hired the following January.
