Michael S. Barr
October 9, 2025
Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System
Michael S. Barr took office as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on July 19, 2022, for an unexpired term ending January 31, 2032. Mr. Barr served as the Vice Chair for Supervision of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from July 19, 2022, to February 28, 2025.
Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Barr was the Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, the Frank Murphy Collegiate Professor of Public Policy, the Roy F. and Jean Humphrey Proffitt Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, and the founder and faculty director of the University of Michigan’s Center on Finance, Law & Policy. At the University of Michigan Law School, Mr. Barr taught financial regulation and international finance and co-founded the International Transactions Clinic and the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project.
Mr. Barr served as the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s assistant secretary for financial institutions, 2009-2010. Under President William J. Clinton, he served as the Treasury Secretary’s special assistant, as deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury, as special adviser to the President, and as a special adviser and counselor on the policy planning staff at the U.S. Department of State.
Additionally, Mr. Barr served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter during October Term 1993, and previously to the Honorable Pierre N. Leval, then of the Southern District of New York.
Mr. Barr received a BA in history from Yale University, an MPhil in international relations from Oxford University, and a JD from Yale Law School.
Trade and Tariff Tales
September 25, 2025
A discussion about free trade featuring:
Alejandra María Gabriela Bologna Zubikarai, Consul General of Mexico in St. Paul
Richard Hyde, His Majesty’s Consul General for Chicago
Beth Richardson, Consul General of Canada in Minneapolis
Panel Moderator: Sri Zaheer, Professor & Dean Emerita, University of Minnesota; Director, Economic Club of MN
With special guest, Beth Benike, President & Founder, Busy Baby
Beth Benike, an Army veteran turned mom-inventor, scaled Busy Baby from a kitchen table prototype to a multi-million-dollar brand in under five years. Featured on Shark Tank, her patented baby products achieved placement at Target/Walmart, as well as recognition in the Inc. 5000 (2023-2024). Manufacturing entirely in China for a multitude of reasons, she is now forced to find new ways to operate her business, demonstrating resilience in the face of global commerce challenges.
Richard Hyde is His Majesty’s Consul General in Chicago. As Consul General, he leads the UK’s engagement across the 14 states of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
As a career diplomat, Richard has served in a range of diplomatic and commercial positions around the world, including:
- 2019 to 2024: His Majesty’s Consul General in Houston with overall responsibility for leading the UK’s engagement in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico.
- 2015 to 2019: Director, Caribbean and Central America at the Department for International Trade, based in Caracas, Venezuela and later San Jose, Costa Rica
- 2013 to 2015: Head, Advanced Manufacturing Investment team at UK Trade and Investment in London, promoting Foreign Direct Investment into the UK
- 2011 to 2013: British Deputy High Commissioner (Consul General) Hyderabad, India. Richard also led work on restructuring the British Government network in India
- 2007 to 2011: British Deputy High Commissioner (Consul General) Bangalore, India
In earlier roles, Richard served as Deputy Ambassador in Yerevan, Armenia; Commercial Consul in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Vice Consul in Paris. He has held a range of foreign policy roles at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.
Beth Richardson was appointed Consul General of Canada in Minneapolis in August 2023. As Canada’s Consul General in the Upper Midwest, Ms. Richardson works with a team of 17 Consulate staff to strengthen trade and economic ties; reinforce our security alliances; enhance political, academic and cultural links; and assist Canadians visiting or living in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Beth Richardson joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Global Affairs Canada) in 1996, where she has worked in in the Eastern Europe and Eurasia Division, on the Afghanistan Task Force and at the Canadian International Development Agency. Her assignments abroad include Seoul, London, Moscow, Miami and Vilnius, Lithuania.
Alberto Musalem
May 20, 2025
President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Alberto G. Musalem is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In this role, he participates on the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, which meets at least eight times each year to set the direction of U.S. monetary policy.
He also oversees the activities of the Eighth Federal Reserve District at its St. Louis headquarters and branches in Little Rock, Ark., Louisville, Ky., and Memphis, Tenn. These activities include economic research, fiscal agent responsibilities for the U.S. Treasury, supervision of District financial institutions, community development, and regional payments, transparency, technology, and support functions.
As the St. Louis Fed president, Musalem makes public outreach a priority, talking regularly with people and communities across the Eighth District about the economy. Engaging with Main Street provides him with important insights as he represents the District at the monetary policy table.
Musalem is an economist and executive with nearly three decades of prior public and private sector experience in economic policy, finance, and markets. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Zeke Hernandez
April 7, 2025
Max & Bernice Garchik Family Presidential Professor, The Wharton School
Author of The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers
Zeke Hernandez is the Max and Bernice Garchik Family Presidential Professor at The Wharton School and the author of The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers. His pioneering research linking immigration to investment and economic growth has won multiple prizes, including three emerging scholar awards from the top academic associations in his field.
Zeke is one of the highest-rated teachers at Wharton, one of Poets & Quants world’s best 40 under 40 business professors, and one of the youngest recipients of a presidential professorship at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his PhD from the University of Minnesota. Outside of work, he loves his family, soccer, and meeting people from all over the world.
The Hon. Kevin Brady
March 12, 2025
Senior Consultant, Akin
Recipient of the 2024 Bill Frenzel Champion of Free Trade Award
Former U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) advises clients on a range of public policy and government relations issues, with a special focus on tax, healthcare, energy, and trade matters. He served for more than 25 years as a member of Congress representing the 8th congressional district of Texas, including northern Houston, as well as The Woodlands.
Throughout his career, Rep. Brady played a pivotal role in shaping economic policy in the United States. As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (2015 – 2019), he led the Committee’s efforts to deliver a detailed blueprint for comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform, the first in 30 years, resulting in the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Rep. Brady also chaired both the Health Care and Trade Subcommittees, where he led efforts to make permanent the research and development tax credit, incentivizing American-led research in crucial medical advancements and technologies. He also played a leadership role in Medicare modernization and health care innovation. In the energy sector, Rep. Brady negotiated an end to the 40-year ban on selling U.S. crude oil overseas. Additionally, he helped secure approval of 13 of America’s 15 free trade agreements and played a key role in the historic passage of the U.S.-Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Rep. Brady served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation and Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress and has earned a reputation as a highly regarded leader within the Republican caucus in both the House and Senate. His extensive experience has allowed him to cultivate strong relationships with policy-makers and staff members in both parties. A dedicated advocate for pro-growth policies, tax reform and free trade, Rep. Brady is committed to shaping a favorable business environment for his clients.
Prior to serving in Congress, Rep. Brady worked as a Chamber of Commerce executive for 18 years and served for six years in the Texas House of Representatives, where he was named a Top Ten Legislator for Families & Children and one of Five Outstanding Young Texans.
Brian Sikes
February 26, 2025
Board Chair, President, & CEO, Cargill
Brian Sikes was elected to serve as Board Chair of Cargill in Jan. 2024 and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since Jan. 2023. He is the 10th CEO in Cargill’s 160-year history. During his more than 30 years with the company, Brian has been known for his relentless focus on people and culture, as well as customer-driven transformation and growth.
Brian began his career with Cargill in 1991 and joined the executive team in 2019. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer, where he was instrumental in constructing the company’s long-term strategy. With broad experience across multiple businesses, cycles, and geographies, Brian has held leadership roles in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He brings proven experience leading operations, commercial teams, and talent management, as well as a strong record of business operational rigor.
Prior to serving as COO, Brian led Cargill’s global Protein and Salt enterprise, growing the business into an industry leader. He previously led the transformation of its North America protein business, delivering expanded offerings in line with shifting demand for value-added protein, sustainable supply chains, and alternative proteins. He also led Cargill’s protein business in Europe and was President of Cargill’s Foodservice team.
From his time on the floor of Cargill’s beef plant in Plainview, Texas, and throughout his three decades with the company, Brian has been a passionate advocate for workers on the front lines of the food system. He is known in the industry for developing a deep bench of leaders and mentoring people with unconventional career paths.
In addition to his leadership role at Cargill, Brian serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council and is a member of the World 50. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics from Texas Tech University.
Major Garrett
December 18, 2024
Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News
For 30 years Major Garrett has reported from the front lines of the nation’s pressing issues, doggedly chasing and breaking news stories. He began his illustrious journalism career as a police and general assignment reporter and has since covered Congress for two major magazines and served as White House correspondent for three television networks. He is now the Chief Washington Correspondent for CBS News and was the network’s chief political reporter covering the 2016 Republican race for the White House. In 2020 he was one of the first national correspondents to focus on voting procedures, voting integrity, and voter turnout. He led the most comprehensive CBS coverage of this topic in history, educating voters before the election and in real-time during extensive Election Night and Election Week coverage. On January 6th, 2021, Major covered the assault on the US Capitol alongside CBS Evening News Anchor Norah O’Donnell – logging nearly 10 hours of continuous live coverage. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Major also hosts two CBS News podcasts: The Takeout and The Debrief. The Takeout is a rare multi-platform interview show carried on all podcast platforms, more than 70 radio stations, SiriusXM, and CBSN. The Debrief is a nationally recognized weekly documentary podcast.
A truly non-partisan reporter, Major is available to speak and moderate panels on the state of politics today, the inner workings of Congress, and the role of the media. His humorous, direct, and dynamic speeches call upon personal anecdotes from his time on the Hill, well-built relationships with top political players, as well as tales from the presidential campaigns he’s crisscrossed the country covering. He breaks down complex hot-button policy issues and is universally recognized as balanced, having worked for the White House teams of both CNN and Fox News.
Known for asking tough questions of all political actors regardless of party lines, Major’s extensive and award-winning print and television work is well-known and has drawn the public wrath of Presidents Obama and Trump, among others. He has worked with outlets including U.S. News and World Report, The Washington Times, The Weekly Standard, and Mother Jones.
Major has written four books. His third, Enduring Revolution, was hailed as one of the best non-fiction political books of all time. His most recent book, Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride, was dubbed “an early draft of our current history” by The Washington Post.
America's Fiscal Challenges
November 21, 2024
Featuring:
- Maya MacGuineas, President, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
- Chris Farrell , Senior Economics Contributor, Marketplace, American Public Media
Maya MacGuineas is the president of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Her areas of expertise include budget, tax, and economic policy. As a leading budget expert and a political independent, she has worked closely with members of both parties and serves as a trusted resource on Capitol Hill. MacGuineas testifies regularly before Congress and has published broadly, including regularly in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, and numerous other outlets. She also appears regularly as a commentator on television.
MacGuineas oversees a number of the Committee’s projects including the grassroots coalition Fix the Debt; the Committee’s Fiscal Institute; and FixUS, a project seeking to better understand the root causes of our nation’s growing divisions and deteriorating political system, and to work with others to bring attention to these issues and the need to fix them. Her most recent area of focus is on the future of the economy, technology, and capitalism.
Previously, MacGuineas worked at the Brookings Institution and on Wall Street, and in the spring of 2009 she did a stint on The Washington Post editorial board, covering economic and fiscal policy. MacGuineas serves on a number of boards and is a native Washingtonian.
Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor at Minnesota Public Radio and Marketplace, American Public Media’s nationally syndicated public radio business and economic programs. Chris is a columnist for PBS Next Avenue and the Minnesota Star Tribune. He is also host of Office Hours podcast for the Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute at the University of Minnesota.
He has written for Bloomberg Businessweek, New York Times, Kiplinger’s, and other publications. The author of five books, including The New Frugality, Unretirement, and Purpose and a Paycheck.
Economic Ecosystem of Minnesota Healthcare
October 9, 2024
Moderated by Jeannine Rivet, Retired EVP, UnitedHealth Group; Director & Secretary, Economic Club of Minnesota
Featuring:
- Rahul Koranne, President & CEO, Minnesota Hospital Association
- Andrea Walsh, President & CEO, HealthPartners
Rahul Koranne, M.D., MBA, FACP, is president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association. Dr. Koranne joined MHA in 2015 as SVP of clinical affairs/CMO and was named president and CEO in 2020. Before joining MHA, Dr. Koranne was a VP with HealthEast Care System. From 2000 to 2005, he served as a primary care physician at the state’s smallest critical access hospital in Starbuck, Minnesota.
Dr. Koranne received his MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management in 2008. He earned his medical degree at the University of Delhi in India, completed his residency in internal medicine at the State University of New York, Brooklyn, and completed his fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Koranne is active in the community and currently serves on the Minnesota Zoo Board of Directors.
Andrea Walsh is president and chief executive officer of Minnesota-based HealthPartners, a non-profit, integrated health system providing health plan coverage to 1.7 million members and health care to 1.3 million patients. She leads a team of more than 27,000 colleagues dedicated to a vision of health as it could be, affordability as it must be, through relationships built on trust.
Walsh has served as president and CEO since 2017. During her tenure, HealthPartners has continued to deepen its reputation as a national leader in high-quality, affordable care and coverage. She’s led with a focus on building healthy and high-performing teams and forging partnerships to improve health equity, children’s health, mental health, and other important areas of community health and well-being. Prior to serving as CEO, Walsh was executive vice president and chief marketing officer at HealthPartners for nearly 15 years, and prior to that served as corporate counsel leading legal, compliance and public affairs.
Walsh began her career as a lawyer in private practice. In the early 90s, she was appointed assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Health and led health reform efforts to increase access to affordable health care coverage, known today as MinnesotaCare. She graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School and has degrees in business and English from the University of Kansas.
Walsh is active in the community and currently serves on the Y of the North board as the immediate past chair. In 2020, she was named Executive of the Year by the Minnesota Business Journal and for the past four years has been named among the Top 100 Most Influential People in Health Care by Modern Healthcare.
Jeannine Rivet is an active board member, advisor, mentor, and coach. Retired Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group, Jeannine Rivet worked with and on behalf of all business segments in areas focused on strategic business relationships, clinician advancement, culture, and social responsibility. Previous roles at UnitedHealth Group include CEO of UnitedHealthcare, CEO of Ingenix and CEO of Optum. Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare Corporation, Jeannine held various other managed care and nursing positions.
Jeannine received a Masters in Public Health from Boston University. She also holds a B.S. in Nursing from Boston College and practiced as a registered nurse for several years prior to entering the managed care industry. She is on numerous business boards and advisory councils and is a mentor to men and women in business. She has been recognized by AAHP, Boston University School of Public Health, Fortune magazine, Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys, Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal, Minnesota’s City Business, Minnesota Women’s Health Leadership TRUST, Twin Cities Business magazine, Linkage, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the American Heart Association – Twin Cities. She also is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She is a driving force in challenging the industry to enhance health and well-being through information, collaboration, and advancement of optimal healthcare.
Michael Sheldrick
September 12, 2024
Author of From Ideas to Impact and Co-Founder of Global Citizen
Michael Sheldrick is a policy entrepreneur, author, and a driving force behind the efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he leads the organization’s campaigns to mobilize support from governments, businesses, and foundations.
With a career that spans the world of pop and policy, Michael has worked with an impressive roster of international artists such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Priyanka Chopra, Rihanna and Usher, as well as prominent political leaders including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and former Australian Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. He has co-produced some of the world’s most impactful social campaigns and events, including the annual Global Citizen Festival in New York, the Guinness World Record-winning virtual concert One World: Together At Home, and the Nelson Mandela 2018 centennial celebration, Mandela 100. These initiatives have reached millions of people in over 150 countries and helped secure over $40 billion in support for local and regional organizations working to provide access to essential resources such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience.
In 2021, Michael served as a ‘friend of the COP26 Presidency’ in Glasgow, securing commitments from 17 major companies including American Express, Cisco, Starbucks etc… for the UN’s Race to Zero campaign. During the same year, he facilitated pledges from businesses and regional governments to protect and restore 157 million trees. Since 2022, he’s been a member of Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Bridgetown Initiative, focusing on unlocking finance for climate resilience.
A sought-after speaker and author on policy advocacy, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, Michael has shared his insights at conferences and summits worldwide. His insights have also featured in leading outlets including Forbes, The Guardian, The Hill, HuffPost, Nikkei and Fairfax Media, and his voice heard on major news networks such as ABC, BBC, France 24, Sky News and CNN.
Michael serves on the board of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, the Benjamin Franklin House in London, the Steering Committee of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Advisory Boards of the Elba Hope Foundation and the Nigerian Solidarity Support Fund. He is also a co-host of the Global Town Hall, a North-South, East-West meeting featuring world leaders and leading minds to connect with global citizens.
Austan Goolsbee
May 10, 2024
President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Austan D. Goolsbee is president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. In this capacity, he serves on the Federal Open Market Committee—the Federal Reserve System’s monetary policymaking body—and leads the Chicago Fed, which conducts research and monitors local economic conditions in support of the formulation of monetary policy, supervises and regulates banking organizations, and provides financial services to banks and similar institutions, as well as to the U.S. government.
Prior to becoming president of the Chicago Fed in January 2023, Goolsbee served as the Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where he first joined the faculty in 1995. He is known for his empirical research on many different industries and on economic policy. He has been a Fulbright Scholar and an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow.
Goolsbee served as a member and then chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2009 through 2011 and was a member of the President’s cabinet. He has also served on the Board of Education for the City of Chicago, the Economic Advisory Panel to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Panel of Economic Advisers to the Congressional Budget Office, the U.S. Census Advisory Committee, the Digital Economy Board of Advisors to the Commerce Department, and the External Advisory Group on Digital Technology for the International Monetary Fund.
Goolsbee has a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA and MA in economics from Yale University. He is married and has three children.
Alan Gogbashian
April 23, 2024
His Majesty’s Consul General for Chicago
Alan Gogbashian has been a member of the British diplomatic service since 2008. His most recent roles have included Deputy Ambassador to Morocco and Mauritania, Deputy Director Americas, and Head of International Human Resources.
Before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alan worked in corporate law in London and Paris, international development in Eastern Europe, and the life sciences sector. He studied law at King’s College London and is an MBA graduate. He speaks French, Armenian and Russian. Alan is married with two daughters.
Senator Pat Toomey
March 19, 2024
2023 Bill Frenzel Champion of Free Trade Awardee
Senator Toomey represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2023, serving as Ranking Member on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and a member of the Budget and Finance Committees, as well as the Joint Economic Committee and the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. He also chaired the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection. Senator Toomey previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999-2005, where he was a member of the House Budget Committee. He began his career in financial services at Chemical Bank and then Morgan, Grenfell & Co. Senator Toomey has a B.A. in political science from Harvard University.
Ginni Rometty
February 12, 2024
Former Chairman, President, and CEO of IBM
Ginni is a leader, innovator, and convener who believes that how we work and lead is as important as what we achieve. As the ninth Chairman, President, and CEO of IBM, Ginni transformed the 100-year-old company, reinventing 50 percent of its portfolio, building a $25 billion hybrid cloud business, and establishing IBM’s leadership in AI and quantum computing. She drove record results in diversity and inclusion and supported the explosive growth of an innovative high school program, P-TECH, to prepare the workforce of the future in more than twenty-eight countries. Through her work with the Business Roundtable, she helped redefine the purpose of the corporation.
Today, she is a champion of SkillsFirst learning, hiring, and advancement—a movement to connect more people without college degrees with good jobs. In 2020, she co-founded OneTen, a coalition of companies and educators committed to upskilling, hiring, and promoting one million Black Americans without four-year degrees by 2030 into family-sustaining jobs and careers.
She is the author of the bestselling book Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World (Harvard Business Review Press), a moving combination of memoir, leadership lessons, and big ideas. The book shares milestones from her life and career while redefining power as a way to drive meaningful change in positive ways for ourselves, our organizations, and for the many, not just the few—a concept she calls “good power.”
Ginni serves on multiple boards, including JPMorganChase and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and was named Fortune’s #1 Most Powerful Woman three years in a row. She has been honored with the designation of Officier in the French Légion d’Honneur and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Her bestselling book, Good Power: Creating Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World, offers leadership lessons through the lens of her life and career.