Jan. 9, 2026
Tom and San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly talk with Kyla Scanlon about the state of the economy.
Tom Barkin
Tom Barkin is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He has held this position since 2018.
Tom serves on the Fed’s chief monetary policy body, the Federal Open Market Committee, and is also responsible for the Richmond Fed’s bank supervision and the Federal Reserve’s technology organization. He is “on the ground” continually in the Fed’s Fifth District, which covers South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, D.C., West Virginia and Maryland. His engagement in the region has brought real attention to areas facing economic challenges.
Prior to joining the Richmond Fed, Tom was a senior partner and CFO at McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm, where he also oversaw McKinsey’s offices in the southern United States.
Tom earned his bachelor’s, MBA and law degrees from Harvard University.
Tom’s Public Engagement #AroundOurDistrict
Tom is passionate about engaging firsthand with business, civic and community leaders in the regions served by the Richmond Fed. These meetings provide insight into how the Fifth District economy is faring, informing Tom’s monetary policy perspective. Click on the shaded areas of this interactive map to learn more about his public engagement, and follow the hashtag #AroundOurDistrict on social media for up-to-date news on his visits and on the Bank's work in our communities. For a running schedule of Tom’s public engagements download the data file below.
Recent Essays & Speeches
Jan. 6, 2026
President Tom Barkin reflects on 2025 and shares his economic outlook for the year ahead.
Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Raleigh, North Carolina
Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Raleigh, North Carolina
Nov. 18, 2025
President Tom Barkin shares his perspective on the economy and how the Richmond Fed's outreach efforts inform it.
Shenandoah University
Halpin-Harris Hall
Winchester, Virginia
Halpin-Harris Hall
Winchester, Virginia
Sept. 26, 2025
President Tom Barkin discusses risks to both sides of the dual mandate and shares his outlook for the U.S. economy.
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, Washington, D.C.
1750 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, Washington, D.C.
Tom’s Perspective
Dec. 4, 2025
Tom received a lifetime achievement award for “embodying the spirit of the Beige Book.” Listen to Planet Money’s The Indicator to learn about how Tom and the Bank’s Research team approach outreach.
Aug. 25, 2025
How do mixed economic signals and an external environment impact monetary policy making? Hear from Tom as he rejoins the Odd Lots podcast to discuss the current economy.
May 30, 2025
Tom joins Barry Ritholtz of Masters in Business to reflect on how a mix of demand surges, supply constraints, and pricing behavior caused post-pandemic inflation to become "sticky."
Aug. 26, 2024
Tom sits down with Tracy Alloway and Joe Weisenthal of Odd Lots to discuss what it’s like to be a Fed president at Jackson Hole.
Aug. 2, 2024
Tom and Chris William of Carolina Business Review chat about the data Tom is keeping an eye on ahead of the September FOMC meeting and Tom’s view on whether inflation and unemployment are normalizing.