Federal Advisory Council

The exhibit to the right, commonly termed the Federal Reserve pyramid, indicates the connection between the Federal Advisory Council and the rest of the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Advisory Council is connected directly to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors at the top of the pyramid.

The Federal Advisory Council is a reflection of the basic design of the Federal Reserve System as a decentralize central bank. While the FAC has no explicit policy making authority, feedback from the council helps to keep Fed actions somewhat grounded in the "real world." While input from 12 commercial bank presidents is not quite as grassroots as a council populated by factory workers and retail sales clerks, it is better than nothing at all. Commercial bank presidents living and working places like Des Moines (Iowa), Flagstaff (Arizona), and Memphis (Tennessee) can give insight into Fed policies not found in New York City or Washington, D.C.

Two additional advisory councils provide the Federal Reserve Board with advice and feedback on specific areas of Federal Reserve activity--Consumer Advisory Council and Thrift Institutions Advisory Council.

• Consumer Advisory Council: Advice on credit consumer protection activities of the Federal Reserve Board is offered by this council of 30 members. The Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) was established in 1976 and contains members who represent consumers and financial groups, including both academicians and legal specialists with knowledge of consumer affairs. Members serve staggered 3 year terms. The council meets with the Federal Reserve Board three times a year


• Thrift Institutions Advisory Council: This advisory council was established in 1980 when the Federal Reserve System extended regulatory oversight to thrift institutions (savings and loan associations, credit unions, and mutual savings banks). The Thrift Institutions Advisory Council (TIAC) contains 12 members, each serving for 2 years, who represent the interests of savings and loan associations, credit unions, and mutual savings banks. The council meets with the Federal Reserve Board 3 times a year to discuss the special needs and concerns of thrift institutions.