Rebooting the Economy after COVID: Eastern Idaho Community Virtual Forum

With the current national unemployment rate at 13.3 percent, and Idaho’s jobless rate at 11.5 percent many are concerned with how Idaho’s economy will look in the coming months. On Wednesday, June 10th at 1 pm Idaho State University’s College of Business will host an economic forum for the public and small businesses titled: Rebooting the Economy after COVID.  The keynote speaker at the virtual forum will be Tom Kealey, the director of the Idaho Department of Commerce. 

 According to Dr. Dan Cravens, Director of Bengal Solutions Consulting, at Idaho State University’s College of Business, “The forum is being provided for several reasons, one of them is to share with businesses the different resources which are available to them to help during the COVID crisis.  Also, we hope to give the public and businesses an idea of what Idaho’s economy may look like in the coming months”.  Cravens who is moderating the forum added, “Not all the economic news is bad by any means, a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that 2.5 million jobs were added nationally.  However, many people and businesses are still suffering due to the current health situation.”

 A panel of experts is participating in the forum.  Panelists will include:  Tom Kealey, director of the Idaho Department of Commerce, Dr. Neil Tocher, chair of and professor of Idaho State University’s Department of Management and Marketing, Amy R. Lientz, Director of Supply Chain for the Idaho National Laboratory, John Regetz, CEO of Bannock Development, Teresa McKinight CEO of the Regional Economic Development Corporation for Eastern Idaho, Karl Geisler Assistant Professor of Economics Idaho State University, and Ann Swanson, regional director for the Small Business Development Center at Idaho State University.

The forum will be fast-paced and is expected to last about an hour.  The public is welcome to attend and ask questions of the panelists.  To participate in the forum the public, log on through Zoom. Those wishing to participate by phone may do so by calling: (253) 215 8782 and then dialing in the meeting id number: 997 8963 7562.