ABC News President Ben Sherwood sent the following note to the news division announcing that Byron Pitts will join ABC News as an anchor and chief national correspondent:

I'm writing to share very good news. Byron Pitts is joining ABC News as an anchor and chief national correspondent. He'll be based in New York and will start in a few weeks. An East Baltimore native, Byron knew from a young age that he wanted to be a journalist but faced two serious obstacles to his dream. Byron was illiterate until age 12 and struggled mightily to overcome a stutter. His unflinching memoir in 2009 detailed those challenges and his extraordinary journey to become one of the great writers in our business, winning every major journalism award along the way. Byron has spent the last 15 years at CBS News, filing regularly for 60 Minutes, covering presidential campaigns and political conventions, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tsunami in Indonesia, New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and the terror attacks on 9/11. An accomplished reporter and brilliant storyteller, Byron has a unique talent for stories about people and communities facing the longest odds.

In his new role, he will file for all platforms, bringing his signature thoughtfulness, seriousness of purpose, and flair.

Please join me in welcoming Byron to ABC News. Ben