State of Northwest Arkansas Region, Business Analysis Set for Oct. 27

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Mervin Jebaraj, director for the Center for Business and Economic Research, will highlight the latest economic data and financial news influencing local, state and national businesses.

The Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the U of A, in collaboration with the Northwest Arkansas Council, will release the yearly State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report on Oct. 27 in a public presentation at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fayetteville. 

First published in 2011, the report measures the area’s economy, comparing to peer regions such as Madison, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina; Provo-Orem, Utah; Des Moines, Iowa; and Austin, Texas.

Along with updates presented by the Northwest Arkansas Council, Mervin Jebaraj, the center’s director, will discuss new economic data for the nation, Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas; the Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy; inflation; lingering effects of the pandemic; Russian invasion of Ukraine; and future possible effects of the Inflation Reduction Act recently passed by Congress.

The presentation begins at 11:45 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fayetteville. Registration and networking begin at 11 a.m., where attendees will be able to network with other Northwest Arkansas community leaders before the 11:45 a.m. program, which lasts for approximately 75 minutes, including time for questions and answers.

The cost of the luncheon program is $50. Preregistration by Friday, Oct. 21, is required. 

To purchase individual tickets or tables using a credit card, register online. For other registration options, call 479-575-4151.

For additional information, visit the Center for Business and Economic Research Quarterly Business Analysis website.

About the Northwest Arkansas Council: Founded in 1990 by Sam Walton, J.B. Hunt, Don Tyson and several other business leaders, the Northwest Arkansas Council serves as a regional convener for economic and community initiatives. The Council excels at identifying challenges and championing solutions to enhance the prosperity of the Northwest Arkansas region. Key initiatives include work to advance quality of life, attract talent, improve the region’s workforce, create job opportunities, upgrade infrastructure and keep up with the region’s impressive growth. For more information, visit https://www.nwacouncil.org/.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.