Lou Thompson

Partner (Washington, DC)

Lou Thompson joined Beacon Advisors as a partner in January 2009.

A recognized expert in corporate disclosure, governance and communications, he served as President & CEO of the National Investor Relations Institute for nearly a quarter of a century. 

Following his retirement from NIRI in 2006, Lou served simultaneously as a partner for Genesis, Inc., in Denver and as a managing director for Kalorama Partners, LLC, a business consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., founded by former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt. 

Lou has served as an advisor to the SEC and is in his second term on the NYSE’s Individual Investor Advisor Committee.  He is a charter member of the PR Newswire Disclosure Advisory Board and is a monthly columnist for Compliance Week magazine.  In 2000, Lou received the first lifetime achievement award for excellence in investor relations by Barron’s and Investor Relations Magazine.

Lou was Assistant White House Press Secretary to President Gerald R. Ford and held executive communications positions with the American Enterprise Institute and the National Association of Home Builders.  He has served numerous consecutive terms as chairman of the Advisory Council for Iowa State University’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication where he earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees.  In 2001, Lou received the highest award conferred by the Greenlee School, the James W. Schwartz Award for distinguished service to journalism and communication. He is a 1998 graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Senior Executive Program.

11539 Spicers Mill Road
Orange, VA 22960
(540) 672-1136
(540) 717-3292 (cell)