President & Senior Executives

Gordon Werkema is first vice president and chief operating officer (COO) of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and product director of the Federal Reserve System's National Customer Relations and Support Office. In his capacity as COO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, he oversees the financial services, emerging payments, information technology services, financial management, legal, human resources, and corporate development functions, as well as the Detroit Branch, the Des Moines office and the Midway Office in Chicago, Illinois. In his capacity as a national Federal Reserve System Product Director, he oversees electronic access products and services, customer support and national marketing activities for the Federal Reserve Banks. Werkema serves on various Chicago Fed and national Federal Reserve System committees and governing councils relating to financial services, information technology, risk management, and leadership development.

Prior to his appointment as first vice president, Werkema was executive vice president responsible for overseeing the Information and Technology Services, Check and Business Development divisions for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Additionally, he had oversight responsibilities of the Seattle Branch. He was a member of the Bank's Executive Committee.

He joined the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in the early 1980s, where he held various management positions in Financial Services, Electronic Funds and Check Processing. From 1984 through 1986, he worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond at its Baltimore Branch as the Federal Reserve's liaison to the United States Treasury on payment and cash management issues. He then returned to the San Francisco District to assume positions in various official capacities. He became vice president of San Francisco Operations in 1989 and was promoted to senior vice president with responsibility for Los Angeles Branch Operations in 1990.

Werkema holds a master's degree with honors from Johns Hopkins University in Administrative Sciences and an undergraduate degree in political science and economics from Seattle Pacific University. He is a member of the Seattle Pacific Foundation Board and is also a member of the Chicago Economic Club.