RFG pays tribute to Mr. Paul A. Volcker, founder of the Volcker Alliance, an RFG organizational partner, who passed away on December 8, 2019. Mr. Volcker was a lifelong dedicated public servant, including serving as Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1979 to 1987, and as a member of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board in the wake of the 2008 Great Recession.
As highlighted on the Volcker Alliance website, “he expressed a desire to ‘advance effective management of government to achieve results that matter to citizens.’ He set forth a vision of a public sector workforce with the experience, preparation, and commitment to ensure that government is accountable and delivers with excellence. His legacy inspires the work of the Alliance every day.” It also invigorates the efforts of the Robertson Foundation for Government.
Mr. Volcker was supportive of the RFG suit against Princeton University, the proceeds of which provided the funding for RFG. Princeton was Mr. Volcker’s alma mater (along with Charles and William Robertson), and he criticized Princeton’s lack of emphasis on public service careers. In Mr. Volcker’s view, a key cause of the breakdown in respect for government came from the lack of qualified and committed public servants.
His solution was to start the Government-to-University Initiative (G2U), which “addresses critical governance challenges by building structured regional networks of governments and universities. The initiative aims to catalyze a robust local marketplace that can sustainably connect governments’ hiring and research needs with local university capacity.” RFG provides funding for the initiative and agrees with Mr. Volcker’s quote at the end of his obituary in The New York Times, “Good policy is dependent on good management.”
RFG honors Mr. Volcker’s many contributions to the U.S. Government and people across America, and offers its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.