Federal Reserve economists to present economic forecast Jan. 22

Two economists from the Detroit branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will present an economic forecast for 2015, at 6-8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, at the Baker College of Flint Center for Business, 1050 W. Bristol Road. The event is free and open to the public. Preregistration is not necessary.

The Fed presenters, Paul Traub, senior business economist, and Martin Lavelle, business economist, will also lead a discussion about the U.S. economy, as well as the outlook for Michigan.

“This is a great opportunity for area leaders, members of our community and students to hear an economic analysis from the perspective of economists at the Federal Reserve Bank,” said John Cote, Ph.D., Baker College of Flint dean of business administration. “Anyone who is interested in their economic future—from those who are currently employed to retirees and even students—should benefit from an understanding of the economic indicators that are influencing our fiscal landscape.”

Baker College of Flint is hosting the economic forecast as a public service to the community.

Traub is responsible for research and current analysis at the Detroit branch. Prior to joining the Fed, he was president of Scenario Economics LLC and senior economist for Americas Commercial Transportation (ACT) Research Company LLC, and, in 2008, he retired from the position of corporate economist after 25 years of service at Chrysler Group LLC. He worked in the Chrysler corporate economist office for more than 17 of those years, where his responsibilities included tracking the economy and forecasting its impact on North American auto sales, supporting new product development, and speaking to auto dealers and numerous professional organizations.

Traub is a member of the Detroit Association of Business Economists Board of Directors, the National Association of Business Economists, the Society of Automotive Analysts and the economics department advisory board for the School of Business Administration at Oakland University. He earned a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and an MBA at Oakland University.

Lavelle is responsible for economic research, education and outreach at the Detroit branch. His research topics include the auto industry, consumer spending, business activity, the U.S.-Canada border and how they impact the Michigan economy and the Fed’s Chicago District and national economies.

He earned a bachelor’s in business and a master’s in economics at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is one of 12 regional Fed banks across the country that, together with a board of governors in Washington, D.C., serve as the central bank for the United States. The Chicago Fed serves the Seventh Federal Reserve District, which includes Iowa and most of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Congress created the Federal Reserve System in 1913, charging it with the responsibility to foster a sound banking system and a healthy economy. This remains the broad mission of the Fed and its components.

For more information about the 2015 economic forecast presentation, contact Cote at john.cote@baker.edu or 810.766.4191.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It serves more than 28,000 students on multiple campuses and online. Baker grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 150 programs across diverse academic fields, including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. An impressive 97 percent of available graduates are employed. Every Baker graduate receives Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever. Baker is a pioneer in online education and offers students the option of completing a degree 100 percent online, without ever visiting a campus. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.