As part of the university’s new Enlight entrepreneurial-inspired program series, Wittenberg’s department of business will host Gary Wagner of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, in Bayley Auditorium of the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center.
Vice president and senior regional officer of the Cincinnati branch, Wagner will talk about the national economic outlook and provide brief background on the Federal Reserve and its purpose.
Wagner is responsible for managing the reserve bank’s regional stakeholder relationships in central and southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. He is also responsible for monitoring the region’s economic environment and for conducting economic research and analysis. His research interests range from regional economics and state and local public tax structures to rainy day funds and borrowing costs and pension systems.
Before joining the Cleveland Reserve Bank, he served as a regional economic advisor in the research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, where he conducted applied research on regional and public finance issues. Prior to that, he was a professor of economics at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va., the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa., and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Wagner has authored or coauthored more than 40 economics and finance articles on topics ranging from revenue cycles to state budget funds and public-sector savings, many of which have appeared in leading journals. Wagner served as a member of the Arkansas Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors from 2008-2011 and as a participant in the Survey of Professional Forecasters from 2013-2015.
Shortly after Wagner's visit, Wittenberg will sponsor its own rendition of the popular television series “Shark Tank.” Wittenberg’s version, “Tiger Tank,” will take place on Feb. 15. Hosted by the business department, “Tiger Tank” begins at 7 p.m. at Founders and will feature three Wittenberg alumni judges: Kyle Barger ’07, owner of Champion Trading Group; Scott “Muddy” Watters ’87, owner and president of Flippin Water LLC; and Corey Myers ’04, strategic advisor for multiple organizations including Gamesmith Inc., Qwil, TradeLanes, and Conduit Ventures Inc. Myers is also an engineering recruiter for Tesla.
Eight business students will pitch their ideas in hopes of earning an internship, mentorship or even cash.
