The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has announced the appointment of three new members to its Second District Advisory Council. The council is made up of senior business leaders who provide insights on business and economic conditions in the Second District, which includes New York State, northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Members serve three-year terms.
The new appointees are Daniel Cunha of Avis Budget Group, Inc.; Mario Harik of XPO; and Diego Suárez, Jr. of V. Suárez & Co., Inc.
Cunha is the chief financial officer at Avis Budget Group, a car rental company based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Before joining Avis Budget Group, he was chief financial officer at Orion Services Group and previously held similar roles at Ocean Spray and Heinz North America. He began his career at McKinsey & Company and later worked at GP Investments. Cunha holds a degree in mechanical aeronautical engineering from Brazil’s Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Harik serves as chairman and CEO of XPO, a provider of less-than-truckload freight transportation headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was previously XPO’s chief information officer. Earlier in his career, Harik worked as chief information officer and senior vice president for research and development at Oakleaf Waste Management and as chief technology officer at Tallan, Inc. He earned a master’s degree in information technology engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a degree in computer and communications engineering from the American University of Beirut.
Suárez is chairman of the board & CEO at V. Suárez & Co., Inc., a food and beverage distribution company based in Puerto Rico that has been family-owned since 1943. The company employs 600 people across its beverage manufacturing operations, brand ownership lines, and corporate financial portfolio management activities. Before joining V. Suárez & Co., Inc., Suárez held sales and marketing positions with Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, F&M Schaeffer Brewing Company, Inc., and Premier Maldonado & Associates. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in management and marketing from the University of Miami.
The next meeting of the Second District Advisory Council is scheduled for February 23, 2026.
According to its official website, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York operates as part of the Federal Reserve System to bolster the U.S. economy through efforts such as fostering job creation, maintaining stable prices, delivering financial services, overseeing institutions within its district boundaries—including those represented by council members—and providing expertise on economic matters.
John C. Williams has served as president and chief executive officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York since June 2018 (source). The bank also plays a key role in executing monetary policy to support economic stability (source).
For more details about the council or to access membership lists or past meeting minutes visit this webpage.
