BarkerGilmore Taps Chief Compliance Officer for Sinclair Broadcast Group

February 5, 2021 – Legal and compliance recruitment firm BarkerGilmore has placed Jeffrey Lewis as chief compliance officer for Sinclair Broadcast Group in Hunt Valley, MD. The assignment was spearheaded by John Gilmore, co-founder and managing partner, and Stephen Bell, senior director. In this newly-created position, Mr. Lewis will supervise corporate compliance functions, including regulatory, code of conduct, competition and privacy. Reporting directly to Chris Ripley, Sinclair president and chief executive officer, Mr. Lewis will also be responsible for leading strategic guidance on the implementation of compliance with regulatory agency requirements.

“Throughout his career, Jeffrey has continuously developed strategies that solidified more secure and compliant organizational practices for numerous companies, large and small,” said Mr. Ripley. “Jeffrey will be a valuable asset to the Sinclair team. Adding to our existing compliance guidelines, he will be a foothold in the strategy and supervision of applying topline compliance initiatives for Sinclair.”

“There was no question about Jeff being the strongest candidate and best cultural fit for Sinclair,” said Mr. Gilmore, of BarkerGilmore. “He will be viewed by all inside and outside of the company as a highly respected, trusted CCO.”

Extensive Expertise

Mr. Lewis’ knowledge of compliance encompasses a wide array of expertise within the area, with both Fortune 10 in-house and law firm experience. He will be expected to apply his skills in leading initiatives on behalf of Sinclair to enhance productivity and effectiveness across the spectrum of compliance activities.

Previously, Mr. Lewis held roles as senior vice president-compliance and chief accessibility officer of AT&T and general counsel and chief compliance officer for Pinnacle Propane. Prior to those positions, Mr. Lewis was in private practice, specializing in corporate and technology law. He was also was an enforcement attorney for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In addition to his role with Sinclair, Mr. Lewis also is a board member for the Dallas Historical Society, Suicide and Crises Center of North Texas, and Society of St. Vincent DePaul National Foundation. He holds his bar licenses in both Illinois and New York, and received his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law and his master of law degree in corporations law from New York University School of Law. Mr. Lewis will be based in Sinclair’s headquarters.

“With rapid digitization, globalization and shifts in regulations, compliance is more important now than it has ever been,” said Mr. Lewis. “Working with Sinclair brings an opportunity to further its already strong compliance practices. I look forward to enacting the best in compliance strategy for the company.”

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; owns, operates and/or provides services to 188 television stations in 88 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’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors and digital platforms.

Legal and Compliance Recruiters

BarkerGilmore, based in Fairport, NY, is a boutique firm specializing in executive search and selection in the areas of law and compliance. With a network of advisors and recruiters spanning across the U.S., the firm places talent at leading consumer, energy, financial, healthcare, industrial and technology companies. In addition, as a thought leader within the legal industry, BarkerGilmore has released various reports to inform the conversations on in-house counsel compensation, the crucial role of the general counsel as both a legal advisor and business partner, and general counsel succession planning.

With over three decades of experience in executive search, Mr. Gilmore has developed deep relationships with general counsel and C-suite leaders across the country. With an institutional understanding of how in-house legal and compliance departments function most effectively, Mr. Gilmore has, according to clients and colleagues, earned a reputation as one of the top executive search consultants for general counsel and chief compliance officer placement.

Mr. Bell specializes in the recruitment of senior legal and compliance executives. Prior to joining BarkerGilmore, he was a search consultant at another executive search firm. During his tenure, Mr. Bell consulted with Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies on their hiring practices, team development, retention, and growth plans. In his career, Mr. Bell has placed the U.S. head of operational risk and senior vice president of risk for a Fortune 100 international banking corporation, the vice president of compliance and audit with a national healthcare leader, and the chief compliance officer for an international healthcare services organization. He has focused his efforts in highly regulated industries: life sciences, healthcare, insurance and financial services.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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