Jim Pitts is a founding principal and member of the Executive Committee of Navigators Global and is based out of the Washington, D.C. office. A veteran of five presidential campaigns, Mr. Pitts brings more than 25 years of experience working at the highest levels in the White House, Congress and directing federal lobbying and opinion leader campaigns. He specializes in several fields, including energy, tribal affairs, high-tech, homeland security, international relations, and overall public relations and policy strategies. Mr. Pitts previously served as the executive director of the Financial Services Coordinating Council (FSCC), a coalition of the American Bankers Association, the American Council of Life Insurers, the American Insurance Association, Investment Company Institute and the Securities Industry Association. Prior to joining the FSCC, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Spence Abraham (R-MI). As the senator's senior advisor and liaison to the Senate Budget, Judiciary and Commerce Committees, Mr. Pitts was instrumental in passing several high-profile pieces of legislation. Mr. Pitts is a veteran of two former administrations – Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, where he held a number of senior-level executive branch positions in the White House, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Energy and the Department of Labor. In 1995, he entered the world of journalism as deputy publisher of The Weekly Standard, helping to launch one of the nation's most respected political opinion publications. Named one of the top Washington lobbyists in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002 by The Hill, Mr. Pitts has been a frequent media source on political events. His commentary has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, ABC News' Nightline and C-SPAN's Morning Journal. Mr. Pitts is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.