Jerome Powell marked his five-year anniversary as the chairman of the Federal Reserve on Sunday. During his tenure, which began on Feb. 5, 2018, the S&P 500 has gained 56%, the Nasdaq Composite has risen 72%, and the Dow Industrial Average is up 39%.

Powell is the Fed's 16th chairman and has led the Fed during times of inflation and also during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has led the central bank through some of the most volatile economic events in recent history, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Federal Reserve oversees the national monetary policy and, as its leader, Powell testifies before the U.S. Senate twice a year.

Here are five things you might not know about Powell.

1. No Economics Degree: Powell graduated from Princeton University in 1975 with a Bachelor’s Degree in politics. Powell received a J.D. from Georgetown University in 1979. One item of criticism Powell has faced as chairman is having no formal economics education.

Janet Yellen was voted in previously in 2013 with a vote of 52-26. Ben Bernake received a vote of 70-30 prior to Yellen.

Also Read: Larry Summers Says Soft Landing 'Looks More Possible': Unemployment Vs. Inflation

In 2008, Powell worked as a managing partner of the private equity and venture capital firm Global Environment Fund, which invested in sustainable energy companies.

The comments came as countries including China have tightened policies on Bitcoin. Powell has said that stablecoins need greater regulatory scrutiny and suggested regulating them similar to bank deposits and money market funds.

Also Read: Cathie Wood Says Won't Be Surprised At Fed's Rate Cuts This Year: 'Bigger Risk Is Deflation…Also A Very Big Opportunity'

This article was originally published in January 2022 and has been updated.

Photo: Courtesy of Federal Reserve