Albert Strauss

Albert Strauss

  • Vice Governor, Federal Reserve Board, 1918 – 1920
  • Born: August 26, 1864
  • Died: March 28, 1929

Albert Strauss took the oath of office as vice governor of the Federal Reserve Board on October 26, 1918.1 He resigned on March 15, 1920.

Strauss was born in New York City in 1864. He attended the College of the City of New York from 1879 to 1882. After graduating, he joined the international investment banking firm J. & W. Seligman & Co. In 1901, he became a partner at the firm.

Before he was tapped to join the Federal Reserve Board, Strauss served on the Treasury Department's War Trade Board as well as on the Fed's gold export committee. He participated in the Paris Peace Conference as a Treasury representative and also advised President Woodrow Wilson concerning financial matters related to transitioning to peace. After his resignation from the Board, he returned to J. & W. Seligman & Co.

Strauss served as director on the boards of several companies throughout the years. These included the Cuba Cane Sugar Corporation, Manati Sugar Co., Pierce Arrow Motor Car Co., Cuban Tobacco Co., and Brooklyn Manhattan Transit Corp.

Strauss died in 1929.

Endnotes
  • 1 Governor was the title of the active executive officer of the Federal Reserve Board from 1913 to 1935. The Vice Governor worked with the Governor to conduct the Board’s business and led the Board in the Governor’s absence. See the Board of Governors website and the essay on the Banking Act of 1935 for details on changes in the Board’s leadership structure over time.

Written by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and updated on October 14, 2025 by Federal Reserve History staff to clarify the historic titles used before 1935. See disclaimer and update policy.