Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President delivered first major speech at UH

Former investment banker, Harvard Business School Associate Dean Robert Kaplan leads Fed Bank in Texas


Scholar and business leader Robert Steven Kaplan recently took the reins as president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. On November 18 at UH, he delivered his first major public speech since being appointed a Fed bank president in August.

Kaplan’s speech was entitled “A Discussion on Economic Conditions and Federal Reserve Policy.”

The Dallas Fed is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks in the Federal Reserve System. It serves the 11th District, which includes Texas, northern Louisiana and southern New Mexico.

Kaplan is no stranger to the University of Houston. As president of the Dallas Fed, he works closely with UH President Renu Khator, who chairs the bank’s board of directors. In addition to his lecture on campus, Kaplan met with faculty members, UH Energy Advisory Board members and other University leaders.

“In his first two months on the job, Robert Kaplan has established himself as a strong leader in the 11th District and a strong voice at the national level,” said UH President Renu Khator.

Kaplan previously served as the Martin Marshall Professor of Management Practice and a senior associate dean at Harvard Business School. Prior to his time at Harvard, Kaplan was vice chairman of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

With Goldman Sachs, Kaplan was the co-head of the Investment Banking Division, served on the Management Committee, co-chaired the Partnership Committee and chaired the Goldman Sachs Pine Street Leadership Program.

Kaplan also co-chaired the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, a global venture philanthropy firm that invests in developing non-profit enterprises dedicated to social issues.

Kaplan has authored a number of books including “What You Really Need to Lead: The Power of Thinking and Acting Like an Owner,” “ What You're Really Meant To Do: A Road Map for Reaching Your Unique Potential” and “What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential.”

- By Mike Emery