BPC Expands Finance, Economic Team with Lockhart, Fichtner

Washington, D.C.– The Bipartisan Policy Center announced today it has expanded its financial and economic policy expertise by naming James B. Lockhart III as a senior fellow and Jason J. Fichtner as a fellow, to provide new depth and analytical skills to ongoing financial and economic policy research.

“The essence of BPC is bringing together the best ideas from the right and left to develop resilient policies that benefit all Americans. Jim Lockhart’s and Jason Fichtner’s expertise and guidance strengthen BPC’s ability to provide policymakers with objective and pragmatic insight,” Jason Grumet, BPC president, said.

Lockhart previously served as a co-chair of BPC’s Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings. He was vice chairman of WL Ross & Co. LLC, overseeing its financial services investment activities from September 2009 to April 2018 and continues to serve in an advisory role. Lockhart brings years of experience to BPC in the housing, retirement, and financial services sectors, having served as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of its Oversight Board, principal deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Social Security Administration, and President George H.W. Bush’s executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

“I have had the pleasure of working closely with Jim Lockhart as my fellow co-chair of BPC’s Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings. Jim has brought a depth of practical knowledge and strongly held views to our deliberations. He is also a skillful and creative negotiator. BPC is fortunate to have Jim take on this expanded role with the organization,” former Sen. Kent Conrad said.

Fichtner, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, similarly brings years of experience both in research and administration of critical public policy programs. Fichtner served as senior economist with the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress and was acting deputy commissioner and chief economist with the Social Security Administration. He is a recognized scholar on Social Security, federal tax and budget policy, and retirement security. Fichtner is the author of The Hidden Cost of Federal Tax Policy and editor of The Economics of Medicaid.

“Tens of millions of Americans lack meaningful economic opportunity. Jason Fichtner is a leading conservative thinker on topics ranging from Social Security to tax policy. He will be a great asset to the impassioned and constructive debates that drive BPC policy,” Frank Keating, BPC board chairman, said.