PARTICIPANTS

John Cogan, Joe Grundfest, Ed Ifft , Dan Kessler, Ron McKinnon, Ken Scott, John Shoven, George Shultz, John Taylor, and Johannes Stroebel

ISSUES DISCUSSED

Dick Kovacevich, former Chair and CEO of Wells Fargo, addressed the issue: “What should we have learned from the financial crisis so it doesn’t happen again?” He discussed risk-management practices at top financial institutions during the crisis along with ways to change the culture and inventive system. He examined the capital adequacy and liquidity problems at many banks during the panic in the fall of 2008.

Kovacevich also considered the TARP, raising the question about the effects on banks with adequate capital that were forced to take TARP money. Kovacevich also addressed the implementation of stress-tests, arguing that these should be ongoing procedures and not preannounced. Other issues discussed include the role of Fannie and Freddie, of credit rating agencies, and the potential impacts of the Dodd-Frank bill.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, February 11, 2026
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America At 250: Classical Heritage, Western Civilization, The Future
COLLEGE 102 and the Hoover Institution host America at 250: Classical Heritage, Western Civilization, the Future on Wednesday, February 11, 2026,… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Wilson Bentley
Wilson Bentley’s Army Of Souls: A Photographic Requiem Of The American Civil War
The Hoover Institution Library & Archives invites you to a hybrid event on Thursday, February 12, 2026 from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. PT. Organized in… Hoover Tower, Stanford, California
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
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What Counts As Success? Assessing The Impact Of Civics In Higher Ed
The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosts "What Counts as Success? Assessing the Impact of Civics in Higher Ed" with Trygve Throntveit, Rachel… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
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