2 from area join Federal Reserve branch board

FLORENCE — The Birmingham Branch Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has added two members from northwest Alabama.

Larry E. Lewis Jr., president of PROJECTXYZ, Inc., and Michael D. Ross, president and chief executive officer of CB&S Bank in Russellville, have been appointed to three-year terms that last through Dec. 31, 2027.

Lewis said he has had a passion for finance since childhood and looks forward to being part of the board.

"I have been interested in business and finance since I was 8 years old, so I'm very excited to have been appointed to the Federal Reserve Board," he said. "I will be participating in the formulation of national monetary and credit policies and will also serve as a link between the Federal Reserve and north Alabama community."

Lewis has served as president of the Huntsville-based PROJECTXYZ since 2007. The company is a technical solutions company that has grown to include engineering, manufacturing, broadcasting, foreign military sales, logistics, alternative energy and information technology services, according to a company release.

Lewis also has been chief executive officer of the Business Technology Development Center since 2015, was vice president of corporate development and information technology for Madison Research Corporation from 1996 to 2007 and is on the boards of the Shoals Economic Development Authority, Opportunity Alabama and Business Council of Alabama.

Ross said the board has an important mission.

"I was very flattered and humbled all at the same time," he said of his appointment. "It plays a role in helping the fed set monetary policy. Board members are typically business leaders in numerous, different industries."

Ross said the board has various missions.

"One, we try, based on what we see in our own businesses, to give guidance on what we see going on with the economy," he said. "We also serve as ambassadors of the fed, to represent the fed in our various communities and make people aware of the function and role of the fed."

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta serves the Sixth Federal Reserve District, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and sections of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

As part of the nation's central banking system, the Atlanta Fed participates in setting national monetary policy, supervises numerous commercial banks, and provides a variety of financial services to depository institutions and the U.S. government, according to a release from CB&S.