CHAMPAIGN — A Champaign man with a background as a financial analyst and a forensic auditor said he will seek the Democratic nomination to be county auditor.

George Danos, 46, is the second Democrat to express interest in the office now held by Tony Fabri.

Fabri has not said whether he will run for a second term, but Kevin Sandefur of Royal has said he will be a Democratic candidate. Fabri has been the subject of several News-Gazette stories and editorials about his alleged absence from work.

Danos said he was motivated to run for auditor by a News-Gazette editorial after the defeat of a referendum to make the office appointed by the county board.

"That galvanized me. (The News-Gazette) said that it was incumbent on the electorate to find a competent professional, and one who was engaged enough to run in a competitive election. That germinated in me for several weeks and made me realize I would be willing to do that. I heard the call," said Danos.

He said he doesn't know Fabri and has not talked him about running. But he has talked to state Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing (a former county auditor), various county board members and other elected Democratic officials, he said.

"I'd say I've heard favorably from many people active in the party and also from interested community members who keep abreast of the news," he said.

Danos has not run for office, but he said he worked for the campaigns of former state Rep. Helen Satterthwaite of Urbana and presidential candidate Gary Hart in the 1980s.

He said he has been a financial analyst at Christie Clinic and for PersonalCare, and now teaches mathematics at Parkland College. Danos said he has lived in Champaign-Urbana for 25 years and now lives in Champaign with his life partner of 23 years. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in economics and master's in applied mathematics, Danos said.

"My intention is to reinvigorate the office. It can be so much more than merely supervision," Danos said. "I bring a skill set that is different from and complementary to the staff CPA.

"I have performed forensic auditing and forecasting as a financial analyst in health care. Beyond doing the ongoing audit, I would upgrade the advisory role that I think is inherent in the office. I was trained to look for discrepancies and fault lines in budgets, and I am keen to make sure that Champaign County maintains a clean bill of fiscal health."

Danos said he plans to begin passing petitions of candidacy next week.

There also is an announced Republican candidate for county auditor, John Farney of Urbana.