Jewell Names Critical Thinker of the Year

03/06/2024

Esther George has been selected by William Jewell College as its third annual Critical Thinker of the Year. George was honored at Jewell’s 80th Celebration of Achievement event where she shared her personal and professional journey with moderator Dr. Susan Chambers and 500 guests.

The award is designed to recognize a distinguished Kansas Citian who works for the betterment of the community and demonstrates the College’s attributes of a critical thinker: analytical, passionate, creative, problem solver, humanitarian, truth seeking and innovative.

George earned a BSBA degree from Missouri Western State University and an MBA from University of Missouri-Kansas City. George was president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and a member of the Federal Open Market Committee from 2011 to 2023. Her Fed service spans more than 40 years including considerable experience as a bank supervisor, moving through the ranks from commissioned examiner to chief regulator. In 2009, during the Great Financial Crisis, she served as the Federal Reserve’s acting director of Banking Supervision and Regulation in Washington, D.C. She oversaw a workforce of more than 2,100 employees serving the seven states of the Tenth Federal Reserve District.

George has devoted her life to making communities better and stronger by promoting economic policy that creates opportunity for all. George serves as chair of the board for Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which is one of the nation’s leading foundations supporting education and entrepreneurship. George is also a board member for the Kansas City 2026 World Cup, Peterson Institute for International Economics and Hallmark Corporation.