Bernanke's Life in Photos

Ben Bernanke: A Life The nerd from Dillon, South Carolina rises to the most powerful job in American banking
Brooks Kraft / Corbis for TIME

Mr. Chairman
An advocate of the loose monetary policies espoused by his predecessor Greenspan, Bernanke has worked hard to make the Fed more understandable and transparent. He has worked hard to explain his actions to the public, holding town hall meetings, writing op-eds and testifying frequently before Congress.

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