How to Increase Accountability: A C-Suite Fireside

Byron Pitts was named co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline” in 2014. He has covered national news stories and in-depth features for the network, reporting across the news division, including "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight with David Muir," “This Week” and “20/20.”

Pitts is a multiple Emmy award winning journalist and news veteran with over 20 years of experience known for his thoughtful storytelling, on-the-ground reporting and in-depth interviews. After less than 24 hours at ABC News, Pitts immediately joined the network’s live special coverage of the Boston marathon bombing investigation. Since then, Pitts has gone on to report live from Baltimore, Dallas and Baton Rouge, La., during each cities’ recent riots and protests. He also co-anchored a special edition of “Nightline” with Juju Chang from Los Angeles looking back on the city 25 years after the riots that broke out following the Rodney King verdict.

During the 2016 election, Pitts was a key part of the network’s coverage, from the Republican and Democratic National Conventions and the first presidential debates to seven hours of live election night coverage. In the 30 days leading up to the election, Pitts traveled around the country for “Inside the Final 30,” a daily docu-series produced by “Nightline,” to speak with voters as they were coming to their final decisions about who should be the nation’s next President. It took viewers behind the scenes on the campaign trail and focused on the issues that matter most to Americans as well as revisited key moments that shaped the direction of the race.

Prior to joining ABC News, Pitts spent 15 years at CBS News where he served as Chief National Correspondent for The CBS Evening News, filed regularly for 60 Minutes, and won an Emmy for his coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was named the National Association of Black Journalists Journalist of the Year in 2002. His 2009 memoir, “Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges” chronicled his journey overcoming illiteracy and a stutter to become a journalist. In 2017, Pitts profiled six young adults that overcame hardship with hope in his book “Be the One.”

Pitts began his career at WNCT-TV in Greenville, N.C., where he covered local news and served as weekend sports anchor. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1982, where he studied journalism and speech communication. Pitts is a native of Baltimore and currently lives in New York City.

Mel Lindsey, CFA is the Founder and Managing Partner of Nile Capital Group, a private equity firm that specializes in acquiring GP stakes of performance-driven asset management firms. Mel serves on the boards of Nile’s portfolio holding companies including Welton Investment Partners LLC, Strategic Global Advisors LLC, Denali Advisors LLC, Convergence Investment Partners LLC, Kvasir Technologies, and Wilshire Lane Capital LLC.  Prior to founding Nile, Mel served on the Executive Management Committee of Julius Baer Investment Management, LLC (JBIM) as Managing Director of Global Distribution. During his tenure at JBIM (2002 – 2012), assets under management grew from $800 million to a peak of $78 billion, ultimately resulting in an IPO and listing on the NYSE in 2009. Prior to JBIM, he was Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Wells Capital Management. Mel was also a Vice President at Shearson Lehman Brothers.

Mel holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and received his MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. He is a member of the Los Angeles Society of Financial Analysts. Mel serves on the Board of Trustees and the Investment Committee for the California Community Foundation, the UCLA Foundation Board, UCLA Anderson School of Management Board of Advisors and Saint John’s Health Center Foundation.

Chris Perry serves as President of Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR). With over $4.5 billion in revenues and part of the S&P 500® Index, Broadridge is a global Fintech leader enabling corporate governance, powering capital markets, enabling client communications and helping wealth and asset management firms grow worldwide. He is focused on driving Broadridge's overall growth strategy, including overseeing Broadridge International as well as helping lead M&A activity. Chris continues to oversee all client and marketing activities globally and is responsible for delivering the company’s annual sales targets spanning all business units and product lines.

Chris joined Broadridge in 2014 as a member of the Executive Committee and, during his tenure, he has implemented both strategic and tactical programs aimed at achieving world-class service in customer support, account management, client training, lead generation and marketing. He has also been a driving force behind the transformation of the organization from a portfolio of companies to an enterprise
cloud-based services provider. Broadridge has enjoyed five years of consecutive record setting sales under Chris' leadership.

Over the previous 14 years, Chris has held numerous management and commercial roles at Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI), and its predecessor, Thomson Financial. Earlier in his career, Chris worked in several FinTech companies and institutional trading and retail brokerage for Kemper Financial Services', Blunt Ellis & Lowie unit as well as correspondent firms of both Prudential and Pershing.

In January 2019, Chris was elected to the Board of Directors of the Financial Services Institute (FSI). Chris also serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey for over ten years and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for NPower, an organization that provides underprivileged youths and military veterans with the opportunity to build tech skills and achieve their potential. In addition, he is a sponsor of the Women on Wall Street Association, a New York-based business leadership organization that helps accelerate careers of women in financial services Until October 2018, Chris served as Chairman of British American Business, a membership organization that enables transatlantic commerce, and continues to serve on their Executive Board.

Chris holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from Northern Illinois University and an MBA in Marketing from Lewis University, where he serves on the Board of Trustees.