On February 8, we will be kicking off the series with the Midwest Economic Forecast Summit as we bring together chambers of commerce, industry leaders and economic experts from across the Midwest to take part in a holistic, timely and in-depth discussion. Our nation recently faced a global recession, record U.S. unemployment and extreme economic uncertainty. This is an opportunity to learn about regional and national trends, examine factors that keep our area competitive, and hear from leaders across various sectors including agriculture, energy, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and technology. Developing and maintaining a vibrant economy is essential to the continued growth of the Midwest; we hope you join us for this new, major event series and important discussion.
Panel Discussion Topics/Sectors
Agriculture | Energy | Healthcare
Hospitality | Manufacturing | Technology
Speaker Biographies and What to Expect
Neel Kashkari
As President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Neel Kashkari serves on the Federal Open Market Committee, bringing the Ninth District’s perspective to monetary policy discussions in Washington, D.C. In addition to his responsibilities as a monetary policymaker, Kashkari oversees all operations of the Bank, including supervision and regulation, treasury services, and payments services. At the Midwest Economic Forecast Summit, Kashkari will be addressing economic conditions, interest rates, the impact of COVID-19, workforce challenges and more.
Dr. Scott Beaulier
Dr. Beaulier has spent his career actively engaged in understanding and advocating for policies that foster dynamic, vibrant economies that best allow businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive. He will discuss how policies are integral to our economic success, and how people – innovative, creative and dedicated business leaders – are the lifeblood of any economy.
Steve Grove
As commissioner of the state’s principal workforce and economic development agency, Commissioner Grove is focused on empowering the growth of the Minnesota economy, for everyone. Under his leadership, the department works on growing the state’s workforce, closing the opportunity gap, and providing businesses and startups the support they need to grow and thrive in Minnesota’s economy. Commissioner Grove was previously an executive at Google for 12 years, most recently serving as the founding director of Google’s News Lab, a global division of the company that partners with media companies and startups to drive innovation in the news industry. He has built teams in over a dozen countries and launched partnerships around the world, including a global technology training effort that trained over 500,000 people every year.
