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Back to B-school: A briefing on the economy

On the economy
On the economy Faculty members will participate in "Back to B-School: A briefing on the Economy," on Oct. 20. From left are John Boschen, John Merrick, Deborah Hewitt, Eric Kades and Richard Ash. Photo courtesy of the Mason School of Business

The Mason School is hosting a forum on the current state of the economy, “Back to B-school: “A briefing on the economy,” Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  at the Mason School of Business, Brinkley Commons Room, Alan B. Miller Hall. The forum is the third hosted at William & Mary on the economy since the financial collapse in 2008.  The forum is free and open to the public.

Dick Ash , Clinical Professor of Entrepreneurship and Private Equity Entrepreneurship, will moderate a panel of professors from William and Mary’s Mason School of Business and the School of Law on the current state of the economy and the outlook for the future with topics ranging from global and domestic economies to finance and investments.

"Everyone is so negative as our economy evolves, we need to let alumni and the local community know what they can expect, how they can make correct investments to take advantage of the economic climate and make people feel more comfortable," said Ash.

Members of the panel will include:

John Boschen
Professor John Boschen, Brinkley-Mason Professor of Economics and Finance, has extensive experience with the Federal Reserve and has published over two dozen articles in noted economics and finance journals.

"There are some good and bad aspects of the current economy. Previous college students treated jobs as an inherent right. This economy is creating a tougher generation of college students, ones who must cultivate actual skills and fight to succeed in a highly competitive market."

Deborah Hewitt
Professor Deborah Hewitt has extensive experience in International Economics and worked as an international economist at the U.S. Treasury. She has contributed several articles to business and investment publications including Standard & Poor's Credit Week and Bottom Line, as well as The Wall Street Journal and Barron's.

"Overall, emerging countries are really coming out of the recession well. These countries had a stronger position going in, using the previous growth decade to reduce their debt levels dramatically while the United Stated and Europe became heavily indebted. They are developing intraregional trade, lessening their dependency on Europe and the US, and questioning the huge cycles of capitalism in favor of stability. Even if China’s currency is allowed to appreciate, it will not help us. If the government imposes a tariff as a punitive measure, it would simultaneously raise the price to American consumers, increase Mexican and Thai exports, and do nothing to increase employment and production levels."

John Merrick
Professor John Merrick, Richard S. Reynolds Associate Professor of Business, has split his time between academia and Wall Street, and currently serves as a Professor of Economics and Finance.

"We have done a lot of healing. From now on our economy will move away from its market-driven past, and instead will return to economic fundamentals."

Richard Ash
Professor Richard Ash, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital, Management, and Financing of Small Business Enterprises.

"People are afraid, pulling money out of equities and willing to accept 1 to 2 percent for returns. An important topic of the Forum will be ways to fix this, and what the government has to do."

Eric Kades
Law School Vice Dean and Professor Eric Kades will bring decades of experience in Economic Analysis of Property and Law.


The event’s format will include remarks from each panelist followed by a question and answer session with the audience, live and emailed in advance (info@mason.wm.edu). The will also be available in real time on the Mason School website.