Richard Ravitch is an attorney, businessman, and public official, engaged in both private and public enterprise for more than fifty years, and is currently a Director and Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Richard Ravitch Public Finance Initiative at The Volcker Alliance. He previously served as lieutenant governor of the State of New York and was co-chair of the State Budget Crisis Task Force with former chairman of the Federal Reserve Paul A. Volcker. He began his career as a principal of the HRH Construction Corporation, overseeing the development, financing, and construction of over 45,000 units of affordable housing in New York, DC, Puerto Rico, and other locations. In 1975, he was appointed chairman of the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) by Governor Hugh Carey. In 1979, he was appointed chairman and chief executive of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Following his MTA service, Mr. Ravitch led the effort to recapitalize The Bowery Savings Bank, once the nation’s largest mutual savings bank, serving as chairman and chief executive. Subsequently, he was retained by the owners of the Major League Baseball clubs to serve as president of the Player Relations Committee. In 1999, Mr. Ravitch was appointed co-chair of the Millennial Housing Commission to examine the federal government’s role in meeting the nation’s growing affordable housing challenges. Mr. Ravitch is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Columbia College and received his bachelor of laws from Yale University School of Law.