Alan Greenspan dies at 100. As Fed chair, he was hailed as the 'Oracle' but later admitted he made a mistake assuming banks could self-regulate | Fortune

Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan died Monday from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, said his wife of 29 years, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell. He was 100.

“To me he was my husband, who shaped my life from our very first date in 1984,” Mitchell said. “He had ‘irrational exuberance’ for baseball, the Washington Commanders, tennis, golf, and music, especially jazz. He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life.”

In his 18½ years at the helm of the Fed, Greenspan presided over a sustained era of American growth and prosperity, yet one that ended with devastating consequences in 2008, two years after he had left the central bank.

Era of US economic growth

Greenspan was so respected during his many years as head of the world’s most influential central bank that by the time he stepped down in 2006, he was widely celebrated as the “Oracle’’ and “Maestro.’’