Transparency advocate Adam Andrzejewski, founder of Open the Books, dead at 55

Adam Andrzejewski, who started and led the government transparency watchdog Open the Books died on Aug. 17, according to an obituary published Monday. He was 55.

The obituary states Andrzejewski, of Hinsdale, Illinois, "passed away peacefully in his sleep at home" and that he is survived by his wife, Kerry, and their daughters Ellie, Molly and Emma, and by six younger siblings, his mother and "many good friends."  

Open the Books started as an effort in 2008 to obtain and publish local school district expenditures online, according to the obituary in the Herscher Pilot, a newspaper in Herscher, where Andrzejewski was raised. 

The publication grew from covering suburban school districts to community colleges. From there, it became Open the Books, which became influential in government transparency, breaking national news and being cited in Congressional oversight hearings. 

“Adam was devoted to bringing transparency to government," the nonprofit said in a statement. "He walked away from business 15 years ago with a singular idea: hold government accountable to the taxpayers it serves. He founded OpenTheBooks to accomplish that task.  He was a happy warrior. Under his leadership, OpenTheBooks has become a highly respected well-known brand. His death is a loss not only to his family and his organization but the nation."