Person of the Year 2009

Dan Winters for TIME

Ben Bernanke

The story of the year was a weak economy that could have been much, much weaker. How the mild-mannered man who runs the Federal Reserve prevented an economic catastrophe Read More »

To Our Readers

The recession was the story of the year. Without Ben Bernanke, TIME's 2009 Person of the Year, it would have been a lot worse More »
Q&A with Ben Bernanke

The Fed chairman sat down with TIME on Dec. 8 for a conversation about everything from the state of the economy to the contents of his wallet More »
Runner-Up: Stanley McChrystal

Soft-spoken and intense, the top U.S. soldier in Afghanistan successfully lobbied the President for a surge in troops. Now all he has to do is salvage a faltering war More »
Runner-Up: The Chinese Worker

By the millions, they leave their families to work in faraway factories and stoke the world's fastest-growing economy More »
Runner-Up: Nancy Pelosi

The highest-ranking woman in U.S. history (except for Oprah), she wields her power more effectively than any other House Speaker in modern times More »
Runner-Up: Usain Bolt

Many have been called the world's fastest man, but none was ever this speedy. Testing the limits of human performance, he carries his native Jamaica with him More »
People Who Mattered

TIME picks 25 people who influenced 2009 for better or worse More »
Fond Farewells

Paying homage to the achievers who left us: Keith Richards on Les Paul, Peggy Noonan on William Safire... More »
Photos: Bernanke Up Close

An intimate look at the 56-year-old chairman of the Fed More »
Photos: Inside the Fed

A glimpse inside the rarified rooms in Washington where the Fed Chairman oversees the U.S. financial system More »
Photos: Bernanke's Life

The nerd from Dillon, South Carolina rises to the most powerful job in American banking More »
Photos: History of the Fed

U.S. monetary policy is guided by an independent government agency that can trace its roots to the administration of George Washington More »
Video: Why TIME Chose Ben Bernanke

TIME managing editor Rick Stengel explains why the magazine chose Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as 2009's Person of the Year More »
Video: Joe Klein on General Stanley McChrystal

Joe Klein discusses his reporting about Stanley McChrystal, the general overseeing the war in Afghanistan, who was on TIME's short list for Person of the Year More »
Video: How the Fed Works

Katherine Lanpher asks TIME business columnist Justin Fox to explain how the Federal Reserve System manages America's economy More »
Persons of Years Past

Leaders, activists and icons look back on what being named TIME's Person of the Year meant More »
Person of the Year 2008:
Barack Obama

In one of the craziest elections in American history, he overcame a lack of experience, a funny name and the racial divide to become the 44th President of the United States More »
Person of the Year 1927 - 2009

Interactive Graphic: See who made the grade over TIME's first eight decades More »