Jeffrey Lewis Recruited as Sinclair’s Chief Compliance Officer

On the 26th of January, 2021, Sinclair Broadcast Group, local news and sports media leader, announced Jeffrey Lewis’s recruitment as its Chief Compliance Officer. The role of CCO is a new position in the company, which will report directly to the company CEO and President, Chris Ripley.

Lewis’ Position as Sinclair’s CCO

Lewis will act as supervisor for corporate compliance conduct. Focuses will include code of conduct, regulatory, privacy, and competition. Also, Lewis will engage in strategic planning for meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

Chris Ripley, CEO of Sinclair Broadcast Group, commented that Lewis had developed a track record of securing organizational compliance for a series of small and large companies and will provide orientation for Sinclair Broadcast Group to apply first-rate compliance initiatives.

Jeffrey Lewis noted the unprecedented need for compliance in business today about global digitization speed and the matching rate of regulatory changes. He said Sinclair’s already impressive compliance record. Lewis believes his engagement with Sinclair will present the company with a prime opportunity to lead the business world in corporate compliance. Sinclair Broadcast Group has always strived to maintain a strong compliance record, but the chance to utilize Lewis was too good a chance to pass up.

Lewis’ Professional Background

Jeffrey Lewis served as the AT&T Senior Vice President-Compliance and the Pinnacle Propane Chief Compliance Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. With the addition of his work in a Fortune 10 law firm, Jeffrey Lewis comes to Sinclair with over 20 years’ experience in compliance and legal strategy.

Before taking these positions, Jeffrey Lewis ran a private firm as a specialist in technology and corporate law. He also served as a US Securities & Exchange Commission enforcement attorney.

Lewis earned his JD at Rutgers University, his BA at Southern Illinois University, and his LLM at the New York University School of Law. Lewis has a Bar license in both New York and Illinois and will operate out of Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Hunt Valley, MD, headquarters.

Lewis also currently serves on the Society of St. Vincent DePaul National Foundation boards, the Dallas Historical Society, and the Suicide and Crises Center of North Texas.

John Gilmore, Managing Partner and co-founder at the compliance leadership-development firm, Barker Gilmore, was Lewis’ recruiter for Sinclair Broadcast Group. Gilmore made the following comments, “ Jeffrey Lewis is unquestionably the best fit and candidate who will go on to retain the respect of those within the company and of its associates.”

Sinclair Broadcast Group History

Sinclair Broadcast Group is a leader in diversified media and regional news and sports. Sinclair was founded in 1986 and began trading publicly in 1995. Sinclair delivers content across various media platforms, including digital media, multi-channel video, and broadcast.

Sinclair is both owner and operator for 23 brands related to regional sports networks. Sinclair Broadcast Group is one of the nation’s top providers of local news and sports and also boasts several national networks on its ownership list. They lead the country in local affiliates for Fox, ABC, and The CW.

Corporate Compliance Explained

Corporate compliance covers both internal policies and procedures, as well as federal and state laws. Enforcing compliance helps your company prevent and detect violations of rules, protecting your organization from fines and lawsuits.

There are seven elements to a healthy and effective corporate compliance program:

• Implementing Policies, Procedures, and Standards of Conduct.
• Designating a Compliance Officer and Compliance Committee.
• Training and Education.
• Smart Communication.
• Monitoring and Auditing.
• Disciplinary Guidelines.
• Detecting Offenses and Corrective Action.

Under Lewis’ leadership, Sinclair Broadcast Group has a chance to serve the business community and especially the media and telecommunications sector in a leadership position and pioneering industry example as to what a premiere corporate compliance program could and should look like in today’s world.

About Barker Gilmore

As a search and recruitment specialist for compliance and law executives, Barker Gilmore retains a nationwide network of recruiters and advisors. Barker Gilmore has earned a track record of reliably placing top talent at significant financial, energy, consumer, industrial, technology, and healthcare organizations.

About Sinclair Broadcast Group

Sinclair is a diversified media company and leading provider of local sports and news. The company owns and/or operates 23 regional sports network brands. They also own, function, and/or provide services to 191 television stations in 89 markets; is a leading local news provider in the country; owns multiple national networks; and has TV stations affiliated with all the major broadcast networks. Sinclair Broadcast Group delivers content via various platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and digital media. The company regularly uses its website as a critical source of Company information you can access at www.sbgi.net.