Dr. Ben S. Bernanke is Chairman of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve, and a well-known macro economist. He succeeded Alan Greenspan in this position in 2005 on appointment from President George W. Bush. Dr. Bernanke has authored several books, including two textbooks, and various published articles.

The eldest of three children, Bernanke was born Dec. 13, 1958 in Augusta, GA. Ben and his siblings grew up in Dillon, SC as part of one of the few Jewish families in the area. Young Bernanke is said to have studied with his grandfather, Jonah, considered an expert in the Torah (holy book). Bernanke's father, Philip, was a pharmacist, and his mother, Edna, had been a schoolteacher in earlier years. Bernanke attended East Elementary School, J.V. Martin Junior High and Dillon High School. In 1972 he began attending Harvard College, later graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 1979 Bernanke earned a PhD. in economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was during this time, on May 29, 1978, that Bernanke married Anna Friedmann; they went on to have two children, Joel (in 1982) and Alyssa (in 1986).

Having received his impressive educational credentials, Bernanke went on to teach at the Stanford School of business beginning in 1979, a position he would maintain for seven years. He then became the Howard Harrison and Gabrielle Snyder Beck Professor of Economics and Public affairs and Chair of the Economics Department at Princeton University, a chair he held from 1996 until his resignation due to a public service leave in 2002. In October of 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Bernanke for the position of Chairman of the Federal Reserve. The senate confirmed the nomination on Jan. 31, 2006; Bernanke was sworn in to the position one day later.

Dr. Bernanke has made a number of educational speeches, among his most famous being the talk that earned him the nickname "Helicopter Ben". During the speech, which took place in 2002 after the word "deflation" began appearing in newscasts, Bernanke pointed out that a government in a fiat system (money backed by the government to use in payment of debts or as an exchange for goods and services) physically creates the currency. Therefore, the government can avoid so-termed "deflation" by simply generating and issuing more currency. During the speech, Bernanke referred to a statement made by economist Milton Friedman about a "helicopter drop"--money given directly to persons or companies--in order to waylay potential deflation. Dr. Bernanke was afterward nicknamed "Helicopter Ben" by critics of his theory.

Bernanke is known for being less willing to weigh in verbally on political issues than his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, and at the same time has received criticism, especially early in his federal position, for making public statements about Fed direction. He has also stated in the past that his domain is monetary policy and has hesitated to comment on fiscal or other broader issues.