Alan Greenspan, most powerful central banker of modern times, dies at 100

Alan Greenspan, widely regarded as the most powerful central banker of modern times, died June 22 at age 100, according to an announcement by his wife, Andrea Mitchell. She said the cause was complications from Parkinson’s disease. Greenspan served as chair of the Federal Reserve for more than 18 years starting in 1987, navigating the United States through two decades of major prosperity while later decisions were linked to the economy’s near-collapse not long after he left office. He became a Washington fixture and was named to five terms by four different presidents. The Federal Reserve called his legacy enduring through those he mentored, and through the frameworks and practices he helped shape. Mitchell described him as someone who shaped her life and who acknowledged his mistakes honestly. Greenspan also gained cultural reach, including being dubbed “Maestro” by the Washington Post’s Bob Woodward.