Richmond Fed Hires Historian for Centennial Research

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond has hired Gary Richardson as the Federal Reserve System Historian. This new position was established in connection with the upcoming Centennial. The Federal Reserve System will mark its 100th anniversary in December 2013. Richardson will collaborate with experts at the Federal Reserve and other organizations to identify, preserve and make accessible the Fed's historical materials. He also will publish original works on the history of the Fed and its role in the American economy since its 1913 inception.

"Gary is well-versed in our history and has dedicated a great deal of his professional life to researching the work of the Federal Reserve and its role in our economy," said Jeffrey M. Lacker, president of the Richmond Fed. "He will play a critical role in making materials related to the Federal Reserve's history more transparent for both researchers and the general public." 

Richardson received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999 and his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Chicago in 1988. Richardson is currently a professor in the Department of Economics at the University of California at Irvine and serves as a Faculty Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He has lectured and written numerous articles on banking, monetary policy and the Fed. He officially joins the Richmond Fed's research department in March, but he is currently conducting System-wide research while continuing to teach.

"I'm excited to be working with the Federal Reserve," Richardson said. "I've been fascinated by the role of this institution. The Fed has a really unique story to tell, and I want to help tell that story by making past information more accessible to the public."

The Fed's commemoration efforts began in May with a public call for contributions to a new historical collection, which will serve as a future resource for researchers, academics and others interested in the history of the nation's central bank. For more information, see Federal Reserve Centennial.

SOURCE Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond