What might that mean for their job and pay prospects?
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Issue No. 75

April 22, 2025

OUR NATION

CFD small B

Assessing small businesses: Growth plateauing?

Employment growth and other measures of economic vitality mostly held steady but remained below prepandemic levels, according to the latest Small Business Credit Survey report.

Find out more

Demand for college-educated workers no longer outstripping supply

What might that mean for their job and pay prospects? 

Find out

A seasonal challenge in measuring inflation

The Fed’s preferred inflation metric tends to run lower in November and December and higher in January even after stripping out predictable seasonal fluctuations. 

Why it matters

A YouTube invitation to Policy Summit

Thinking about attending our premier community development conference? Watch this video and look forward to hearing speakers such as Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Check the agenda

Our work on payments

Cleveland Fed staff contribute to cutting-edge research on privacy-enhancing technologies and core banking payment processing, among other topics.

Learn more

A tool for moving up

The Occupational Mobility Explorer helps users explore paths to better-paying jobs, emphasizing acquisition of the skills needed to advance. 

Try it

OUR COMMUNITIES

Beth Toledo

Cleveland Fed president Hammack tours largest solar panel manufacturer in United States 

Hammack heard why First Solar started in the Toledo, Ohio, area and learned about an ongoing challenge.

More on Hammack’s travels

Helping students prepare for their financial future

April is Financial Literacy Month, and we mark it by spotlighting our financial education tools, especially our curriculum guides.

Our offerings

Fed Talk discusses our newest regional indicator

Find out how the Survey of Regional Conditions and Expectations (SORCE) provides early insights on local economic activity. 

Read, watch, or listen

April is Global Volunteer Month…

At the Cleveland Fed, getting involved and making a difference in our communities is a longstanding part of our history—and our plans. This is why our Fed It Forward program allows employees to volunteer and engage with our communities across the Fourth District. 

Learn about the District

CALENDAR

June 26–27

Policy Summit 2025: Building Strong and Sustainable Communities

Register

September 29–30

Inflation: Drivers and Dynamics Conference 2025

Call for papers and other details

November 13–14

Fall 2025 Midwest Macroeconomics Meeting

Details

November 20–21

2025 Financial Stability Conference: Financial Stability in a Time of Rapid Economic and Technological Change

Details
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Editor's note: Our subscribers asked for more information about the people of the Federal Reserve.

 

Meet Bryan Lazar, a senior business systems specialist in Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS), who has worked for the Federal Reserve for 17 years. Learn how he likes to start his day and what he enjoys about his job. 

What is a typical work day for you?
A typical work day for me begins with a big cup of coffee and some eggs (maybe tater tots, too!). Typically, in the office I am joined by a few of my coworkers, and before we get going we check in to see how things are going at home with family, talk about any vacation time coming up, or discuss the news topic of the day. We discuss what work has been completed and what work is coming up for that two-week period. My afternoon consists of attending team standups and other meetings focused on upcoming program increments or planning events.

 

What do you find rewarding or enjoyable about your job?
I enjoy being able to help my teammates by sharing what I’ve learned during my 17 years at the Bank, how I’ve handled similar situations they may encounter, and how our teams have improved and changed over the years. In baseball terms, I consider myself a utility player, meaning I understand each role on the team and can step in whenever a need arises. I enjoy fulfilling that role on our team.

 

What are some of the challenges of your job?
My FRFS teammates are located in just about every state in the country, so time zone differences can limit the available times that meetings and other events can be planned. Sometimes it’s unavoidable to schedule a meeting outside normal business hours. Taking meeting minutes or recording meetings becomes even more important when these situations arise.

 

What is your greatest accomplishment?
Being the first person in my family to go to and graduate from college and work full time in a professional role.

 

What is your favorite part of the day?
The period of the day when the sun is just heading west—not fully setting, but not at its peak. The sunlight hits our home’s windows just right, and it looks spectacular.

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Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, 1455 E 6th St, Cleveland, OH 44114, US

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