Andrew Ross
Freshwater Advisory Board
Andrew Ross is an experienced financial and governmental executive with more than 30 years of experience spanning both the public and private sector. He currently is an Investment Banker at Regiment Securities where he helps to advise on, structure and facilitate debt and equity offerings.
Andrew previously served as Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s Chief Operating Officer and was responsible for driving Illinois’ economic development agenda, including overseeing a $31 billion capital program and helping craft Illinois’ renewable energy policies. He also worked with everyone from major CEOs to mid-sized companies to entrepreneurs and startups. Andrew oversaw a $78 million small business financing and investment fund that leveraged $220 million in private investment, invested $2.3 million into 1871 – a digital incubator that has received international acclaim and formed his Innovation Council.
Andrew was also responsible for helping coordinate successful communications, legislative and political strategies for high-profile issues ranging from the potential relocation of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Illinois and pension and Medicaid reform to striking a historic McCormick Place labor deal that saved 66,000 convention and tourism jobs.
Andrew started his career by working for a decade in television production in New York City, including producing positions at ABC News, CBS News, CNN and MSNBC.
He serves on the board of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, which is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy organization, and Building Together, which collaborates with multi-faith farmers in the Middle East, who are working together on various economic development projects.
He graduated from Northwestern University with a Communication Studies degree and has a Master’s degree from Syracuse University in Broadcast Journalism.