Former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan Dies at 100

Alan Greenspan, the influential former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, has died at the age of 100. Greenspan, often called "The Maestro," headed the central bank for nearly five terms, from 1987 to 2006, a period marked by significant economic shifts and presidencies.

Born in March 1926 in New York, Greenspan's early life was shaped by music. He studied clarinet at the prestigious Juilliard School and toured the country as a saxophonist and clarinetist with the Henry Jerome band. After his musical career, he pursued economics, earning his degree in 1948.

Greenspan's entry into public service included advising Richard Nixon's presidential campaign in 1968. He held various positions within the Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan administrations before President Reagan nominated him to lead the Federal Reserve, succeeding Paul Volcker.

His tenure at the helm of the Fed spanned the presidencies of Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. His wife, Andrea Mitchell, chief Washington correspondent for NBC News, reported that Greenspan's death resulted from complications related to Parkinson's disease.