Ben Bernanke is an American economist, author, and professor who is the chairman of the Federal Reserve. Bernanke succeeded Alan Greenspan in February 2006. Bernanke graduated from Harvard University and went on to receive such honors as the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Sloan Fellowship and the Econometric Society Fellowship.http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/wiki/Ben_Bernanke.asp He has served on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Director of the Monetary Economics Program of the National Bureau of Economics Research, and Editor of the American Economic Review.http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/wiki/Ben_Bernanke.asp
Bernanke came under fire in 2010 when he announced $600 billion the Federal Reserve's effort to stimulate the slow recovery.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/business/economy/01fed.html?partner=rss&emc=rss In November 2010 he sat down with the top executives of companies such as I.B.M. and Ford Motor, and talked about the 9.6 percent unemployment rate and the needs to create jobs and job security for American workers.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/business/economy/01fed.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Early Life and Career
Ben Bernanke was born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in Dillon, South Carolina. He attended Harvard University and graduated with a B.A. in economics. He then went on to earn his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.http://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/bios/board/bernanke.htm
Bernanke began his career as professor at Stanford University and then was hired to teach at Princeton University. In 2002, he began his service on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and was appointed as chair of the Federal Reserve on February 1, 2006.http://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/bios/board/bernanke.htm
On December 16, 2009, it was announced that Bernanke had been named the Time Magazine 2009 Person of the Year for his role in helping prevent a severe economic depression.http://www.today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34441681
Ben Bernanke Named Time Magazine's 2009 Person of the Year
Mark Halperin of Time Magazine explains the choice of Ben Bernanke as Time's 2009 Man of the Year. He explains that although at first glance Bernanke appears to be a colorless bureaucrat, he is actually very powerful and thoughtful and recognizes the importance of his job. Other candidates considered were Nancy Pelosi, Chinese workers, and Gen. McChrystal.