Nora Wittstruck rises to chief analytical officer role at S&P

Nora Wittstruck is the new chief analytical officer for governments at S&P Global Ratings.

Wittstruck takes over from Robin Prunty, who retired in August.

"One of the challenges of whomever would have taken this role is filling her shoes. She is a really hard act to follow," Wittstruck said of Prunty. "But I will try my best to live up to her iconic status, and also lay my own trail as well."

In her new role, Wittstruck is responsible for covering governments and nonprofits both within and outside of the United States.

She will oversee the ensuring of analytical excellence in global ratings, leading a credit-focused research strategy and driving the development and implementation of analytical strategy and methodologies projects. Wittstruck additionally represents S&P in a market engagement capacity, and will communicate about the municipal bond market and the agency's ratings.

Wittsruck has dedicated all 25 years of her career to the municipal industry.

After receiving her bachelor's degree in political science from Truman State University and her master's degree in public administration from the University of North Texas, Wittstruck held roles at HilltopSecurities and Moody's Investors Service (MCO). Later in her career, she also worked for the state of Florida in the Division of Bond Finance as a bond development specialist.

"I have sort of always had an intrinsic desire to be helpful and supportive, not only in my personal life, but in my career as well. That's what really has kept me in the municipal market in a variety of different ways," she said. "And I think that being in this role, you really have an opportunity to support governments, and not-for-profit enterprises globally, to achieve what they need to achieve."

Upon her arrival at S&P in 2016, Wittstruck served as the sector lead for the not-for-profit housing enterprise and cross-practice teams within U.S. public finance. She was also the team's representative for global climate initiatives and led external engagements with investors and market participants on climate.

Wittstruck also participates as an advisor to the Government Finance Officers Association's standing Committee on Economic Development and Capital Planning to support issuer efforts on incorporating adaptation and resiliency into capital planning and affordable housing initiatives.

"This new role is really the pinnacle of my career. I'm really excited, because this role is global, and will allow me to expand my analytical horizons to other countries, other types of structures that governments operate within," Wittstruck said. "I'm really looking forward to the challenge, as well as bringing in some of the insights from other countries that could be applicable in the U.S., either now or in the future. I'm grateful to be supporting our very talented team of sector leaders, analytical managers and other analysts, and aim to continue supporting analytical excellence going forward."