Michael J Prell, a long-time central bank mandarin, spent the better part of the last 30 years arguing - politely, of course - the Fine points of the substance and presentation of Federal Reserve policy with the likes of Alan Greenspan, Paul Volcker and Arthur Burns. He retired in July at the age of 55 after heading the largest group of staff economists - numbering 120 - at the Fed in Washington.
| Prell: known for his spit and polish | ||||||
Prell's salary actually had been higher than Greenspan's for years.
His arrival at the Fed was not promising.
Prell's trademark beard and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, spelled culture clash at the start of his career.
Banks in America's Midwest weren't exactly rolling out the welcome mat for fuzzy faces in those days.