Martin James Gruenberg (born April 1, 1953) is an American attorney who previously served as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
[10] In December 2019, he became the longest-serving director in FDIC history, surpassing Preston Delano, who served in his capacity as Comptroller of the Currency from 1938 to 1953.
[13] The Wall Street Journal published an article in November 2023 detailing widespread sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and other misconduct issues at the FDIC.
[16] While the Cleary Gottlieb report noted that some FDIC employees described Chair Gruenberg as a calm and professional leader, it states that many others described him as “aggressive,” “harsh,” “emotional,” “upset,” “unhappy,” “agitated,” “vitriol[ic],” “prosecutorial,” “disrespectful,” “intense,” "bombastic," "verbally abusive," "out of control," having “raising his voice,” or having a “short fuse”.
[17][18] In these hearings, the Chairman was criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for his personal conduct and his failure to see larger workplace culture issues sooner at the FDIC.
After being questioned on the matter by Representatives Patrick McHenry and Sylvia Garcia, the Chairman agreed to pursue an anger management course and seek counseling.
While many Congressmen have called for him to resign or for President Biden to remove him from office, Chair Gruenberg has asserted that he is committed to leading and transforming the FDIC.
[19] On November 19, 2024, Gruenberg announced he will retire from the FDIC on January 19, 2025, a day ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th President of the United States.