For immediate release: July 16, 2010

Nicole Bennett has accepted the position of vice president in human resources for the Atlanta Fed, announced Dennis Lockhart, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Lockhart also announced that Blake Lyons has been named assistant vice president in facilities management.

Bennett most recently served as vice president of Treasury Services at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, where she spent 12 years. She joined the Minneapolis Fed as a manager in community affairs and was promoted to project manager in executive services. Bennett was promoted to assistant vice president in Treasury Services before becoming vice president in 2009. Prior to joining the Federal Reserve, Bennett worked for the City of Chula Vista, Calif., as a business development associate, the City of Lakeville, Minn., as an economic development coordinator, and the City of Shakopee, Minn., as a planner and economic development specialist. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics and political science from the University of Iowa and a master's of public policy in planning and economic development from the University of Minnesota.

Lyons assumes responsibility for the Bank's environmental responsibility efforts, the District's facilities function office and its planning, design, and construction. Most recently, Lyons served as a financial services business liaison in human resources. He joined the Atlanta Fed in 2000 as a financial services analyst and was promoted to senior analyst and then supervisor. After transferring to cash services, Lyons became a manager and was promoted to director in 2006. In September 2008, he moved to human resources. A native of Augusta, Ga., Lyons earned a bachelor's degree in economics and finance from Mercer University.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta serves the Sixth Federal Reserve District, which encompasses 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.