With great sorrow, we announce that our beloved colleague Bart Chilton has passed away after a sudden illness.

Our friend Bart brought a unique combination of passion for business and extensive experience in the sphere of finance to his role as host of signature financial show, Boom Bust, elevating the content and profile to a new level, making it one of the most popular programs on RT America.

His trademark show opening, “Let’s go!” was a perfect expression of his enthusiasm and drive to constantly do more, and learn more.

Since the first day he walked into our newsroom – tall, with a distinctive white mane, trademark cowboy boots, and his enchanting smile – Bart started making friends. We soon felt that he belonged with us. He became a member of our team, and a part of us.

Bart always seemed to project a strong, quiet sense of dignity, and treated every person he met with respect, no matter what their position, status or age. He was one of those people who won hearts without saying a word.

His friends and colleague knew him as an overachiever. Prior to his TV career, Bart Chilton was Commissioner at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2007 to 2014. At the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, he headed the Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee and the Global Markets Advisory Committee. He has served on multiple local, federal and presidential campaigns, the Obama presidential transition team, and in the US House, Senate, and Executive branch. His subject matter expertise spanned from politics and policy – specifically US and global financial markets, agricultural, energy and the environment, and transportation – to music, movies, and pop culture. Commissioner Chilton was known for his individualistic approach to financial regulation, his myriad media appearances, speeches, and frequent opinion editorials. From 1995 to 2001, Commissioner Chilton was a political appointee of President Bill Clinton, rising to Deputy Chief of Staff to US Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman.

“We remember his intelligence, his compassion, his joyful laughter. With his passing, nothing could fill the void in our newsroom, nor the space Bart held in our hearts,” said Mikhail Solodovnikov, RT America’s News Director. “We will seek solace, and honor his memory, by delivering the best news content to our viewers, with the dedication and diligence that is the hallmark and legacy of our friend Bart Chilton.”

Our News Team expresses deepest condolences to Bart’s wife, Sherry.