On Wednesday, December 4, the Portland Metro Chamber hosted the 2024 Economic Summit presented by Ferguson Wellman, an important presentation on the economic health and trends affecting Oregon and the national economy at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Portland.
Featuring a presentation from Tim Duy, Professor of Practice at the University of Oregon, we heard about the rivers and valleys of the current and predicted economy and what we might expect next. Tim explained several trends and updates about the year ahead, including that we have a resilient consumer base, stock prices are up (as long as job growth continues), and the overall economic outlook is positively trending into 2025. We are headed into a soft landing, which Tim described as an equilibrium including 2% growth and 4% unemployment rates.
Following Tim Duy’s presentation, we had panelists Christine Pitts, with Open School Inc, Antionette Chandler, with Port of Portland, Connie Seeley, with Oregon Health & Science University, Michi Slick, with Killian Pacific talk more with moderator, Candace Beeke, with the Portland Business Journal. All the panelists agreed that there was equal parts uncertainty and hopefulness when it came to our new Portland local government and the federal changes upcoming in the next year. Each of their industries were advancing in some areas and seeing slower growth in other aspects. Two highlights being the ongoing OHSU merger with Legacy Health, which will bring much-needed care to Oregon patients, and the newly remodeled PDX terminal, which brought jobs and revenue back into the city. Overall, the sentiment shared by all was optimism about the path we will embark on together to move forward.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor
Event Sponsors
Event Partners
