Debra Gordon, Co-Founder/CEO

Debra Gordon is the Managing Partner of Nexus Investment Consultants, a  firm specializing in marketing, branding and business development for established and emerging managers and broker-dealers. She is responsible for firm wide management, strategic planning and implementation.  Current areas of focus are sports arena development, real estate, private equity, internet technology and entertainment.

​

With 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, Ms. Gordon is highly regarded. Her relationships represent over $500 billion in assets under management.  

 

She began her career as a runner on the Chicago Board of Options Exchange and was the first African American woman in that role.  Ms. Gordon’s initial foray into institutional sales began when she helped launch Melvin Securities.  Melvin Securities is a full-service investment banking firm and was the only African American specialist firm in the country that made markets in over 100 stocks.  After moving to New York, she held sales/trading and executive roles at top ranking minority owned investment banking firms on Wall Street.  In this capacity, she traded various investment vehicles including domestic and international corporate equities and bonds, options and convertibles for public and corporate pension funds, fortune 500 and mid-tier asset management firms.

 

In her role as an industry influencer, connector and leader, she served as the Vice President and President of NASP Chicago for almost 10 years. During her tenure, NASP Chicago worked closely with the State of Illinois Pension and Investment Committee to establish legislation for inclusion of MWBE managers and brokers in local public pension funds, and was the leader in providing networking opportunities for the local MWBE community as well as trustee education.

 

Among her various charitable pursuits, Ms. Gordon serves on the Board of Directors of the Westside Health Authority, the Board of Cornerstone Recovery homes and is a founding member and partner of In the Throne Ministries.