LOS ANGELES —Bradley D. Belt, Chairman of Palisades Capital Management LLC and former executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, joined the nonpartisan Milken Institute as senior managing director on January 1, 2011 and will lead the Institute′s Washington, D.C. expansion.
Belt will head a staff based in Washington that will lead the growth of the Institute′s presence and programmatic initiatives in the nation′s capital and on the East Coast. A key objective of the Washington office will be to facilitate interaction among the Institute′s diverse range of research centers and policy experts with leaders in government, the private sector, and the NGO community, with a focus on developing innovative solutions to society′s most pressing challenges. Belt will also lead the Institute′s Center for Financial Market Understanding, which offers journalists, legislators, regulators and executives a greater depth of knowledge on the way markets function.
"With his leadership roles in government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations, Brad is the ideal person to lead the build-out of the Milken Institute in Washington," said Michael Klowden, president and CEO of the Institute. "He combines an in-depth understanding of financial markets and legislative and regulatory processes, and is well regarded on both Wall Street and in Washington for his understanding of the issues and ability to bring together diverse stakeholders to find consensus solutions to difficult problems."
"With his breadth of experience and record of accomplishment, Brad is uniquely well qualified to help further the Milken Institute′s mission of developing human, financial and social capital to create broad-based prosperity," said Michael Milken, chairman and founder.
Belt joins the Milken Institute from Palisades Capital, a boutique financial advisory and investment firm he co-founded. From 2004-2006, Belt served in the Bush Administration as the executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. During his tenure, Belt oversaw the resolution of many of the agency′s largest and most complex corporate pension defaults and he played a key role in the development and communication of administration policies on retirement finance, including what became the Pension Protection Act of 2006. He also was a presidential appointee to the Social Security Advisory Board, led the bipartisan National Commission on Retirement Policy, and is a leading expert on retirement finance.
Belt previously held senior policy and management positions in the private sector, in the federal government, and with non-profit organizations. Earlier in his career, he served as counsel to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and at the Securities and Exchange Commission. He also was an executive at a financial services and technology company and headed economic finance and policy programs at the bipartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"It′s an honor to be associated with the Milken Institute," said Belt. "I have enormous respect and admiration for the staff and leadership of the Institute and what they have been able to accomplish and look forward to helping build on that legacy. With a physical presence on both coasts, strong links into the technology, health care, education, and finance sectors, and bridges to both Asia and Europe, the Milken Institute is uniquely well positioned to be the i? 1/2 go to′ organization for information, ideas, and innovations for policy makers in Washington and around the world."
Belt received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Nebraska, a law degree from Georgetown University, and completed a senior executive program at Harvard University′s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife and two daughters.