Arthur Levitt

Arthur Levitt joined The Carlyle Group as a senior advisor to the firm. He advises Carlyle management on strategic business matters.

Prior to joining Carlyle, Levitt was the 25th chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. First appointed by President Clinton in July 1993, the President reappointed Levitt to a second five-year term in May 1998. In September 1999, he became the longest-serving chairman of the Commission. He left the Commission in February 2001.

Investor protection was Levitt's top priority. Throughout his tenure at the Commission, he worked to educate, empower and protect Americas investors. Early in his tenure, Levitt created the Office of Investor Education and Assistance and established a website, which allows the public free and easy access to corporate filings and investor education materials. He conducted more than 40 investor town meetings throughout the country to listen to the concerns of investors and to give them tips on safe and wise participation in the securities markets.

Before joining the Commission, Levitt owned Roll Call, a newspaper that covers Capitol Hill. From 1989 to 1993, he served as the chairman of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and from 1978 to 1989, he was the chairman of the American Stock Exchange. Prior to joining the Amex, Levitt worked for 16 years on Wall Street.

Levitt graduated from Williams College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, in 1952 before serving for two years in the Air Force. Levitts best-selling book, TAKE ON THE STREET: What Wall Street and Corporate America Dont Want You to Know/What You Can Do to Fight Back was published by Pantheon Books.