Charles Plosser

Outspoken macroeconomic expert Charles Plosser is keenly positioned to offer a stimulating analysis and survey of the greater global economic landscape while addressing the issues most impacting your audience today and in the future.

Charles I. Plosser served as the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia from 2006 until his retirement in 2015. In his position, he served as a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, which is responsible for U.S. monetary policy. During this period, the world experienced a global financial crisis and a severe recession, requiring extraordinary action by monetary policymakers. Whether policy choices and the reforms adopted during this time were wise and saved the economy from a worse fate or were ineffective and counterproductive is an issue that remains hotly debated. Plosser also served during a time of dramatic change in the activities of the Federal Reserve Banks, including their role in financial services and the payments system as well as bank supervision. Both a proponent and unequivocal critic of the Federal Reserve and its policies over the years, he surveys the greater global economic landscape and candidly shares with the audience provocative insight to the various strengths and weaknesses of a uniquely decentralized central bank, as well as his own views on the direction reforms might take to strengthen effectiveness and accountability. A macroeconomic expert and student of monetary economics and policy for nearly four decades, Plosser is keenly positioned to provide global context and look to the future as he examines both long-term growth prospects and policy challenges that face the nation today, while offering his audience a spirited and stimulating analysis of the complex issues most impacting the future of their industry and organization. Among many other duties, Plosser chaired the Committee on Investment Performance, which was responsible for oversight of the entire Federal Reserve System’s employee pension and thrift funds. Prior to his public service, he also served as a consultant to numerous corporations on topics from strategic planning and forecasting to portfolio and pension fund management, capital budgeting and financial analysis. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Chicago, and is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree (cum laude with honors).