William M. "Bill" Isaac (born 1943 in Bryan, Ohio) was the Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from August 3, 1981 through October 21, 1985.
He served as vice president and general counsel of the corporation and its subsidiaries, which included the First National Bank of Louisville and First Kentucky Trust Co.
Isaac served as FDIC Chairman during the Reagan Administration from 1981 through 1985, a very tumultuous period in U.S. banking, which has recently been a point of comparison to the financial crisis of 2008.
Isaac is widely credited, including by President Reagan and former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker, with helping to maintain stability in the financial system during a period of severe stress.
His articles are published in the Wall Street Journal,[6] Washington Post,[7] New York Times, Forbes,[8] American Banker,[9] and other leading publications.
He also appears regularly on leading television and radio programs in the US and abroad, is a contributor to CNBC, testifies before Congress,[10] and is a frequent speaker throughout the world on finance and regulatory matters.
His book Senseless Panic: How Washington Failed America,[12] about the financial crisis of 2008, with foreword by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, was published in June 2010 by Wiley & Sons.