WASHINGTON — Robert C. Holland, 87, an economist who became the first staff member of the Federal Reserve System to be appointed directly to its board of governors, died Jan. 3 at his home in ­Centreville, Va.

Dr. Holland had been vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Board members had been outside appointments, generally business leaders or economists.

When a position on the board opened in 1973, President Nixon appointed Dr. Holland because he knew the inner workings of the system.