Mr. Lacker began his term August 1, 2004. He is a native of Lexington, Ky and was born in 1955. He received a bachelor of arts degree in economics in 1977 from Franklin and Marshall College. Following graduation he joined Wharton Econometrics in Philadelphia, Pa., and went on to earn a Ph.D. in economics in 1984 from the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Lacker was an Assistant Professor of economics at the Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, from 1984 to 1989, prior to joining the Bank in 1989 as an Economist in the banking area of the Research Department. He was named Research Officer in 1994, Vice President in 1996, and Senior Vice President and Director of Research in May 1999.

Mr. Lacker is the author of numerous articles in professional journals on monetary, financial, and payment economics, and has presented his work at several universities and central banks. In 1992-3 he taught at The College of William and Mary, and in 1997 he was a visiting scholar at the Swiss National Bank.

Mr. Lacker is a member of the Executive Committee of Venture Richmond and serves as director for the board of the Richmond Jewish Foundation. He is also a member of the Junior Achievement of Central Virginia Advisory Board and director of the World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond. He and his wife, Lisa Halberstadt, have two sons, Benjamin and Daniel.