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In Memoriam: Alan Greenspan  

Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve and CFR Board Director Alan Greenspan passed away on June 22 at age one hundred.

Alan Greenspan, dressed in a suit and red tie, gestures while speaking before a microphone.
Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan testifies during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on February 16, 2005. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

By experts and staff

Published

The Council on Foreign Relations mourns the passing of Alan Greenspan, a CFR member since 1978 and board director from 1982 to 1988. At CFR, Greenspan brought the same strategic insight and seriousness of purpose that defined his distinguished career in government and the private sector.  

A true economic statesman, Greenspan served five terms as Chairman of the Federal Reserve under four presidents. He led the central bank from 1987 to 2006 through periods of both prosperity and crisis, including the post-Cold War period, the Asian Financial crisis, and the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis. It earned him the reputation as “maestro” of the U.S. economy.   

The Council is grateful to have counted Greenspan as a member, director, and friend. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Andrea Mitchell, his family, and his loved ones.