Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin
Thomas Barkin, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, will take part in a conversation with George Mason University President Ángel Cabrera and School of Business Dean Maury Peiperl on Monday, May 7, at 2 p.m. in Merten Hall, Room 1201, on the Fairfax Campus.
It will be Barkin’s first public appearance since joining the Richmond Fed in January. Cabrera is a member of the Richmond Fed’s board of directors.
“I’m looking forward to visiting the George Mason campus and speaking with students, faculty and others in the community,” Barkin said. “It’s also an opportunity to highlight the important contributions of our Fed directors, such as Dr. Cabrera, who help connect us with the communities we serve.”
Cabrera has always emphasized that Mason is a place where high-profile leaders come to engage faculty, staff and students in conversations about important topics of the day. In just the past month, Mason has hosted then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.
“Tom Barkin choosing Mason to make his first public appearance as president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond provides a tremendous opportunity for our students and faculty to engage with a national leader whose decisions on monetary policy have a direct impact on their lives,” Cabrera said. “As the largest and most diverse research university in Virginia, Mason is a major economic driver in the five-state region the Richmond Fed serves.”
A native of Tampa, Fla., Barkin was a senior partner and chief risk officer at McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm, before joining the Richmond Fed.
He also served on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta from 2009 to 2014 and was the board’s chairman from 2013-14.
Peiperl called Barkin’s appearance a great opportunity for the School of Business and its students.
“Policy, regulations and technology have become more challenging as the Fed responds to the global economy, volatile markets and cyber security threats to our economic system,” Peiperl said. “And the impact of the Fed on business and the economy—in Virginia, nationally and globally—is immense. We’re looking forward to hearing his perspectives on the role of the Federal Reserve.”
The event is free, though media interested in attending should register here.