Meet the Fed

Matuschka Lindo Briggs Leads

the Federal Reserve Bank's Little Rock Branch

by Roby Brock

In June, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis named Matuschka Lindo Briggs as vice president and regional executive for the Little Rock Branch, which serves the majority of Arkansas.

Briggs succeeds Robert Hopkins, who retired in mid-June after 38 years at the St. Louis Fed. As regional executive, Briggs represents the St. Louis Fed with business leaders, bankers, local government officials and other stakeholders. She also supports the Little Rock Branch’s board of directors.

Briggs joined the St. Louis Fed in the Treasury division in 2015. Since April 2020, she has been director of the community development department’s special projects and strategic support.

Before joining the St. Louis Fed, Briggs spent 23 years as a broadcast news reporter and host for various outlets, including ESPN and NBC affiliate television stations in St. Louis and Des Moines, Iowa. She also was the press secretary for a Missouri gubernatorial campaign.

Briggs earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications from William Woods University in Fulton, Mo., and her master’s in business administration from Washington University in St. Louis. She serves on several nonprofit boards and is a voting member of the Screen Actors Guild.

She sat down for a Q&A with The Arkansas Banker magazine.

Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you found your way to the Federal Reserve Bank.

Matuschka Briggs: I'm from Central America, believe it or not. I was born in Panama City, Panama, an Air Force brat. We traveled around quite a bit. I learned English in second grade in Sacramento at Mather Air Force Base, and then our traveling landed us in Enid, Oklahoma. That's pretty much what I did with my childhood.

I was mostly in the central part of the United States, so I'm used to rural America and that's where I grew up. As far as education, I went to William Woods in Fulton, Missouri. Back then, back in the day, it was an all-girls school. And I met a lot of my girlfriends that I'm very close with from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas there. So it's nice to reunite with them. Then, I got my MBA at Washington University in St. Louis.

From there, I started with NBC in Des Moines, Iowa and I was really in the thick of rural America. I was doing seed corn, feed corn, soybean reporting. Gradually, I came out and started doing general reporting, health reporting, and political reporting, so I do feel that it has brought me full circle into storytelling, which is what I do here. I'm talking to civic and business and government leaders and bankers and trying to understand their story and what's going on.

The other part of it, I'll say, is that I've always learned to be part of my community. I love to volunteer and I've sat on many boards throughout my career. So for me, another big part of this position is being able to understand the talent pool and what I'm looking for when it comes to our industry councils as well as my board of directors.

Q: So you're telling me, if I needed to send you on assignment as a correspondent for the Iowa caucuses - since there may be 3 or 4 or 10 Arkansans running for president - you might be up to the task.

Briggs: Absolutely. I did the Iowa caucuses. I will tell you, I had a wonderful dance with Tom Brokaw one night. So it was great. That NBC family sticks together.

Q: Who are some of the mentors in your life. Who helped shape you into the person that you are today?

Briggs: The same two people that I rely upon now and I speak to every day, my parents. Being from another country and coming to the United States back in the day was not easy. I just remember my parents always saying, "If you do good things and you do the right things, you'll be surrounded by the right people." And I think that's true.

My mom, if I would come home because a group didn't want to be with me, she'd be like, "We're not trying to be part of any group. We're not trying to be part of any clique. Just do the right thing and work hard." And our faith is a big part of my family. So to this day, I really thank my parents. They gave me all the tools that I needed and I will be forever grateful to them.

Q: This is not your first stop in the Federal Reserve Bank. Tell me a little bit about how you exited reporting and got into the Federal Reserve Bank.

Briggs: Most of my jobs, I would say, had to deal with communications, relationship building, everything that you do as a journalist. You're out there, you're trying to talk to people, you're trying to understand what's going on. I started about eight years ago in the Treasury relations support office at the Fed, and it was working with a business line and a product that the U.S. Treasury and Fiscal Service was working to get out. I was out there talking to individuals about that product and building relationships, so it really just fell in line lock and step with what I do. And then from there, I went to public affairs at the Fed. And again, same thing, it's communications. I worked a lot with the regional executives.

So I’ve been working with our three branches - Little Rock, Louisville and Memphis - and understanding what the regional execs did, as well as working with the regional economist and supporting them. The public affairs department really supported President [James] Bullard. I really got a bird's eye view on what this role would be and understanding all that it took to do this role. That's when I really started developing my interest.

Millie A. Ward, Chair

PRESIDENT, STONE WARD

LITTLE ROCK, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2022)

Christopher B. Hegi

PRESIDENT AND CEO, FIRST FINANCIAL BANK EL DORADO, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2022)

Jamie J. Henry

VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE, EMERGING PAYMENTS, WALMART INC.

BENTONVILLE, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2024)

Vickie D. Judy

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICA'S CAR-MART INC. ROGERS, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2023)

Vincent G. Logan

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, NATIVE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE FUND FAYETTEVILLE, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2023)

Jeff Lynch

PRESIDENT AND CEO, EAGLE BANK & TRUST CO. LITTLE ROCK, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2024)

Darrin Williams

CEO, SOUTHERN BANCORP INC. LITTLE ROCK, AR

(Term expiration: Dec. 31, 2023)

From there, I moved to community development, which I would say rounds it out because it's taking an even deeper dive in something that the Fed looks at and they're always looking in the low-to-moderate income community. So I was able to see how they're working in the Delta with the Delta forum, and not only in my region of Arkansas, but also looking at the entire Eighth district.

Q: You've touched on this in a couple of answers that you've given, but what will your role be with the Little Rock branch? What are you going to focus on specifically?

Briggs: First, I want to say I am so honored to be here in Little Rock and to serve the state of Arkansas, most of it. I will say that the Northeast part from Jonesboro up, that's really my Memphis colleague, but the rest of the state is mine.

What I'm going to start doing is just listening and understanding and meeting people where they are when I'm out there talking to leaders in the community. I say that because some people want to meet one-on-one. Others want me to come to an event or their annual meeting to understand what they're doing. Others want a round table. Some just want me to present. They understand that I know what's happening in the Fed, so they want to understand and have me demystify the Fed.

So that's really where I'm going to start. As you know, data and research is so important to the Fed, but there is a lag to that. That's stuff that has happened in the past. Even though it's important, it makes my job pretty critical in understanding and talking to people and being able to find out what's happening in real time, getting that anecdotal information. So that's really my role and what I'll be trying to understand.

I will tell you, I have been traveling and there is a lot of good stuff happening in the Natural State. But I also need to understand the pain points and the challenges because what I do is I take all that information, I share it with our researchers, I share it with President Bullard to help them inform monetary policy.

Q: I know you have made some rounds. What has been the reception as you've been around the state? Has anything stood out to you so far?

Briggs: The hospitality is overwhelming. I will say the big surprise is the food. I'm a foodie, and the food is good in Arkansas, no matter where you are, just driving through the state. I really like the way the state has welcomed me and opened their arms to me. It's really, really meant a lot to me.

Again, when you're talking about the Fed, two things that are important to us are stable prices and maximum employment. So my goal is to help maximize the quality of participation for the economy of this state. When I'm talking and listening to people, that's something that I'm really hearing about a lot is there are a lot of jobs and we really need to help with that job growth, so however I can do that. I'm a convener, so if I can get leaders at the Fed or leaders within the state to work together and help with that job growth, I'm excited to do that. I'm a convener, I'm a connector, and I'm a storyteller. That's really my role.

Q: I see from your bio that you are a voting member of the Screen Actors Guild. What does that entail and how did that accomplishment come about?

Briggs: When I married my husband - who at the time was a sportscaster for NBC - and we both worked for Gannett, there was a nepotism clause in our contracts with the television station. One of us had to leave and I also had a non-compete so I could not work for another station for six months.

My agent asked me if I would like to do some commercials and acting during that hiatus. As a reporter, I was a member of the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists but to do commercials and act I needed to also join the Screen Actors Guild. So for over 20 years, I have done many commercials and a few movies. To vote, you need to be an active member in good standing and your dues must be paid. I get to pre-screen and vote for big screen motion pictures and television shows which takes up a lot of time. They come in CD format and I view them all during my spare time and on weekends.

We also have the opportunity to hear from the actors in conversation about how they get into their role or maybe the challenges of their character. These are called “Screenings” that we must RSVP for. It's a hobby that I love even though it is time consuming. I consider it to be such an honor. I can’t do all the screenings with the actors as there are so many and all hours of the day, but I do pick my favorites. Then, they mail us a ballot before the awards and I have to vote on the various categories. Final voting for the next awards will open on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 - the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will take place on February 26, 2023.