Biography

Derrick Max

Derrick A. Max is the executive director and member of the board of the Coalition for the Modernization and Protection of America’s Social Security (COMPASS) – a coalition founded by the Business Roundtable, the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security (AWRS) and the Financial Services Forum. Mr. Max has also served as the executive director of the AWRS since June of 2001. AWRS is a coalition initiated by the National Association of Manufacturers to educate and lobby for the creation of personal retirement accounts within Social Security reform. The coalition has more than 40 member organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, the National Federation of Independent Business, the National Association of the Self-Employed, the National Association of Women Business Owners, United Seniors Association, the Hispanic Business Roundtable, and America’s Black Political Action Committee.

Prior to assuming his position at AWRS, Max served for three years as director of government affairs at the Cato Institute, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. In that role, he was instrumental in helping to advance Cato’s presence in the national debate on Social Security reform.

Before joining Cato, Mr. Max had a short stint as a speechwriter and policy analyst for Senator Tim Hutchinson and prior to working in the Senate, Mr. Max served for four years as a professional staff member and economist for the Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Max began his policy career as a research assistant in economic policy at the American Enterprise Institute where he researched, wrote and published in the areas of Social Security, labor and tax policy.

Mr. Max earned his B.A. from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, and completed graduate courses in economics at George Mason University. Mr. Max is married, has four children, and is founder and President of the Board of Cornerstone Community School in Washington, D.C.