The six states—Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, parts of Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan—that make up the Federal Reserve Ninth District are distinct, but they had one thing in common as the calendar turned to 2020: worker shortages. That issue dominated reports from every state’s expert during the Minneapolis Fed’s annual Regional Economic Conditions Conference on Jan. 9, 2020.
Read a report on the conference and Ford’s remarks.
Program Agenda |
|
| 8:00 a.m. | Registration and continental breakfast |
| 8:30 a.m. | Welcome and introduction [video] Neel Kashkari, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis |
| 8:35 a.m. | Keynote address [video] Beth Ford, President & CEO, Land O'Lakes [slides] |
| 9:30 a.m. | Montana and South Dakota outlook with agriculture and health care spotlight [video] Barbara Wagner, Chief Economist, State of Montana [slides] Mark Quasney, State Economist, South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management [slides] |
| 10:20 a.m. | Break |
| 10:30 a.m. | North Dakota and Upper Peninsula of Michigan outlook with mining and energy spotlight [video] Nancy Hodur, Director, Center for Social Research, North Dakota State University [slides] Leonidas Murembya, Economic Specialist, Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives [slides] |
| 11:20 a.m. | Minnesota and Wisconsin outlook with manufacturing spotlight [video] Steven Hine, Research Economist, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development [slides] Taggert Brooks, Professor and Chair, Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse [slides] |
| 12:15 p.m. | Conference concludes |
Keynote Speaker: Beth Ford
Beth Ford serves as president and CEO of Land O’Lakes Inc., a Fortune 200 food production and agribusiness company that is also a nearly 100-year-old farmer-owned cooperative. Ford’s 33-year career spans six industries at seven companies. Since joining Land O’Lakes in 2011, she has held a variety of roles leading the farmer-to-fork business offerings.
She has recently been recognized by Fortune as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders and Most Powerful Women, was named to Fast Company’s Most Productive People and Best Leaders lists, and was named one of Time magazine’s “Firsts,” among other honors.
Conference Partners
- Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
- Department of Economics, University of Minnesota
- Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota
- Economic Club of Minnesota
- Economic Development Association of Minnesota
- Financial Executives International—Twin Cities Chapter
- Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
- Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota
- Minnesota Bankers Association
- Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
- St. Paul Chamber of Commerce