Jim.Cunha@bos.frb.org
Biography
As Senior Vice President of Treasury and Financial Services at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Jim Cunha leads the Bank's work on behalf the Bank's cash operation, wholesale payments, mobile and digital payments.
Cunha is spearheading the Boston Fed's efforts to study, explore, and engage with distributed ledger technology to determine applicability, potential benefits, and risks for internal and external uses. He is focused on the evolution of the technology and its potential impact on the financial services sector.
Cunha is also responsible for two U.S. Treasury businesses supported by the Boston Fed: Stored Value Card, which is a chip based card prepaid used world-wide by the U.S. military; and Invoice Processing Platform, a web based portal to automate purchase order and invoice processing for Federal agencies and their vendors.
Jim has worked at the Boston Fed since 1984. Prior to that, he worked at Fleet National Bank.
He has a Bachelor of Science in accounting and philosophy from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts in computer science from Rhode Island College. He is chairman of the board of Children's Friend and Family Services of Salem, Mass. and an ex-officio member of the board of directors at New England ACH Association (NEACH), a payments education non-profit.
Work Experience
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston 1984 – Present
Senior staff position in IT Audit and technical support. Officer level positions responsible for technical support, computer operations, retail payments (Automated Clearing House (ACH)), Y2K planning/execution, technology strategy, wholesale payments, cash operations, various payment related businesses for the U.S. Department of the Treasury (from pilot to full implementation).
Member of the Executive Committee, champion/senior sponsor of the Management Council, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, and innovation initiatives.
Fleet National Bank, Providence RI 1980-1984
Staff/officer position in Financial and IT Audit.
Education
B.S., Northeastern University
B.A., Rhode Island College
Public Service
Member of the board of trustees of Justice Resources Institute (JRI) a social justice non-profit.
Ex-officio member of the board of directors at the New England ACH Association (NEACH), a payments education non-profit.