Professors speak at economic forum
The Economic Forecast and Panel Discussion was held at the High Point Country Club on March 30. Photo By: Devon Wilkinson
By Devon Wilkinson// News Editor
On March 30, the High Point Chamber of Commerce hosted the Economic Forecast and Panel Discussion: from Washington to Your Workplace.
The event covered economics on a national level all the way down to small businesses. An economic forecast concerning entrepreneurs was also a focus of discussion.
“We wanted to make sure it wasn’t just an economic update overall, but [something that] could pertain to our small companies to our large corporations,” said Patrick Chapin, CEO of High Point Chamber of Commerce.
The event panel included: John Jung, BB&T’s senior managing director and head of BB&T capital markets; Kathryn Elliot, HPU’s assistant professor of the practice of entrepreneurship and director of the Belk Center for Entrepreneurship; and Peter Summers, HPU’s assistant professor of economics. The event was moderated by Daniel Hall, HPU’s chair of the Department of Economics and assistant professor of economics.
“Students can take classes on economics, but there is nothing like just being inquisitive and curious and going to events like this when the opportunity presents itself,” said Jim Wehrley, dean of the Phillips School of Business. “This is great exposure for our students to be able to get some perspective on where the economy is heading. These are the same students that will be out in the economy soon.”
“Policy changes are much more complex and difficult to implement than initially thought,” Hall said. “Although we will experience change, change might not happen as rapidly as we think. This is a good thing in the sense that businesses can plan more effectively in the long term, and when it comes to change in the political environment, what we can do is focus on the community from the bottom up.”
Audience members included members of the Chamber of Commerce as well as High Point University students.
“I’m really thankful to have been able to come to this event and that the School of Business was able to sponsor us,” said Sarah Winters, HPU senior. “It was such a privilege to have been able to meet multiple community leaders of High Point and to have the opportunity to learn about the economics within the city.”
“[It] was a very informative event that gave our audience a perspective of the future of the economy which is, in my opinion, very cautiously optimistic,” said Rachel Moss Gauldin, COO of Business Inc.