Arthur Levitt Jr. (born February 3, 1931, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American financial executive and government official best known for serving as the 25th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 1993 to 2001. The son of Arthur Levitt Sr., a prominent New York State Comptroller, he grew up in a politically influential family. He graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952 and served in the U.S. Air Force before beginning his finance career as a stockbroker on Wall Street, rising to partner at several brokerage firms. Levitt previously served as Chairman of the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) from 1978 to 1989, where he modernized trading practices, and chaired the New York City Economic Development Corporation from 1989 to 1993. He also owned and published Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill, from 1985 to 1993. Appointed by President Bill Clinton, his SEC tenure was marked by aggressive enforcement against insider trading, protection of individual investors from abusive practices, and key reforms including Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD) in 2000. Post-SEC, he has remained influential through advisory roles, authored the book 'Take on the Street' in 2002, and continues to advocate for stronger regulatory oversight and market ethics.