Paul Volcker Releases Memoir, "Keeping at It"

Paul A. Volcker

On October 30, Paul A. Volcker, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve and founder of the Volcker Alliance, released his memoir, “Keeping at It: The Quest for Sound Money and Good Government.” Co-authored by Christine Harper, Editor of Bloomberg Markets, the book provides a timeline of Mr. Volcker’s life in the public service. 

Excerpts from the book:

I have come to understand something broader and more important: the need to restore trust in the full range of our governmental processes. My hope is that the Volcker Alliance can play a part. It will not be easy.”

"One cannot sit here in 2018 without a strong sense of concern about the future of this country, and more particularly the state of public service. Distrust and ill-will permeate attitudes toward government. Too many of the best in the assailed bureaucracy, both in Congress and in key administrative posts, have left too soon, doubting that their voices could be heard or that their goals could be achieved. That needs to change. And it won’t be easy. As a signal of my concern, I decided to establish a foundation with a mission impossible: Can we stimulate others—particularly schools of public policy, of management, of administration—to rethink how government can and should respond to the needs of the twenty-first century? Today, the small staff is hard at work, led by Tom Ross, who brings to the effort his long-honored experience as a judge and educational leadership in his home state of North Carolina. Paul Light and Don Kettl, two leaders in the fight, have worked with me in the past and now again as advisors to the senior staff. Bill Glasgall and Gaurav Vasisht, steeped in the challenges of state and local management and financial reform, have a full agenda. Emily Bolton, for a while caught between careers in ballet and public service, is committed to making government work. She first coordinated the Oil-for-Food and World Bank investigations and now she helps the “world go around” at the Volcker Alliance."

As the mission states, the Volcker Alliance advances effective management of government to achieve results that matter to citizens. The nonpartisan Alliance works toward that objective by partnering with other organizations—academic, business, governmental, and public interest—to strengthen professional education for public service, conduct needed research on government performance, and improve the efficiency and accountability of governmental organization at the federal, state, and local levels.

This mission continues guide the Volcker Alliance and we are honored to continue the meaningful work launched by our founder, Paul A. Volcker.