Thank you, Kyle and Congratulations, Michael!
by Scott Wallace
As the director of the Center for Business and Economic Insight (CBEI), I have been enormously fortunate to have worked with truly outstanding students. Our senior research assistant Kyle Pulvermacher (who is graduating next week) has made significant and lasting contributions to the Center for Business and Economic Insight. Kyle has dramatically improved our data collection system and has made creative contributions to our charts in the Economic Indicators report. The CBEI has also published his research, The Effect of Education on Income Inequality in Wisconsin in our Spring 2023 publication. In addition, Kyle and I co-authored The Pandemic Shock and the Macroeconomy: A Different Pattern and a New Story which we both recently presented at the MBAA International Conference in Chicago in April. After graduation, Kyle will be joining Sentry as an actuarial analyst. Best wishes on your new career and thank you for all the great things that you have accomplished!
I want to congratulate our research assistant Michael Brierton whose team recently took first place (and a $2,000 cash award) at the 2024 RMA Wisconsin Chapter Credit Analysis Competition in Madison in April! Michael worked with fellow accounting major Brooke Peterson, faculty adviser Bo Dedeker, and mentors Derek Blanchard and Alison Prey from First State Bank in creating a case study in which each team assumed the role of a commercial lending team. Michael’s team competed against six others from UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-Whitewater. Great job, Michael and team!
In U.S. Economic Performance, 2017-2024, Chief Analyst Kevin Bahr provides a magisterial account of the U.S. macroeconomy over the last seven years. In doing so, Kevin’s analysis draws on economic indicators covering the labor market, stock market, inflation, interest rates, energy markets and housing markets.
Our Economic Indicators section of the report has a variety of timely national, state, and local statistics covering labor markets, housing, prices, construction, area business confidence and more.
In this issue’s special report, A Quick Trip Around the Globe: Recognizing Important Differences in Culture to Better Understand Yourself and Others, Assistant Professor of Management Jim Servi will be sharing the results of the GLOBE 2020 cross-cultural study of human behavior and discuss the implications for ideal leadership and trust dynamics around the world.
This issue’s Insight Spotlight column, Creative Placemaking, features Elizabeth J.B. Wendt, development director for the City of Wausau, and Callie Wulk, executive director for the Wausau River District, describing a new community economic development strategy focusing on expanding arts and cultural activities as a means of improving the quality of life in an area. Such investments will increase the number of visitors to local business districts and encourage people to choose to reside in the area.
CBEI Central Wisconsin Spring 2024 Report