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

Thursday, September 10, 2026
Immigration
What's New in Civics for 2026?
The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosts "What's New in Civics for 2026? " with Jenna Silber Storey, William Howell, and Roosevelt Montas on… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 6:30 PM ET
Markus Wolf
Book Talk: "The Troika: The Troika: A Story of Three Families, Friendship, and the Cold War"
The Hoover Institution Library & Archives is partnering with the International Spy Museum to co-host a hybrid event on "The Troika", Markus Wolf'… International Spy Museum (700 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington DC 20024)
Thursday, September 24, 2026 12:00 PM PT
The Yellow Peril
The Kaiser's Warning: How a 1908 Interview Wrongly Predicted the Transformation of American Racism
The Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford University and the Japanese Association for Migration Studies will co-host a virtual… Zoom
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