Fed economist to highlight annual conference in Kalispell

A Federal Reserve Bank economist will visit Kalispell Wednesday for an annual economic meeting.

Joe Mahon, regional outreach director from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, is the keynote speaker for the 14th Annual Flathead Valley Economic Forecast at Flathead Valley Community College.

Mahon will present a regional outlook based on recent economic indicators. Mahon tracks several sectors for the Ninth District, which covers Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana and portions of Wisconsin and Michigan.

The session is sponsored by Montana West Economic Development.

“We’re very excited to have someone from the Federal Reserve coming out. Everybody needs to have an idea of where the economy is going, especially business owners,” said Lara Russell, communications manager for Montana West. “This will cater to people in real estate and banking.”

Mahon’s last forecast, published in July 2015, examined the growth in employment and stagnant crop prices.

Also on Wednesday’s agenda:

n Brad Eldredge, vice president of Instruction and Student Services at FVCC, will discuss the employment situation in the Flathead Valley in a joint presentation with Maya Tsidulko, institutional research analyst at FVCC.

n Ellie Clark with Clark Real Estate Appraisal and Barbra Bennett with Bennett Appraisal Services will review 2015 commercial and residential real estate markets in the Flathead Valley. Clark and Bennett also offer a forecast for the real estate market in 2016.

“We’re very excited,” Russell said of the event. “I think we’ll have a great turnout; there’s been a lot of interest in the event this year.”

The Economic Forecast begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday at the FVCC Arts and Technology Building, Room 139. The cost is $30 per person or $20 for Montana West Economic Development members. Registration is available at www.dobusinessinmontana.com.

For more information, contact Russell at lara@dobusinessinmontana.com.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.