CANFIELD, Ohio – National economic uncertainty and long-term regional development strategies will take center stage at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s annual meeting April 10, where Warren native and economist Gary Wagner will deliver the keynote address.
Wagner will share insights on national economic trends and how regions like the Mahoning Valley can build long-term resilience. He expects the remainder of 2025 to carry elevated recession risks due to ongoing policy shifts, which may prompt businesses and consumers to delay major investments. Such uncertainty, he says, can stall short-term growth and reinforce the need for long-range planning.
“I think 2025, if I had to describe it in one word, is ‘uncertainty,’” Wagner said. “The greatest resource in the economy, whether nationally or locally, is other people. If you want to improve the Valley 20 years from now, invest in the people who are here today.”
He will speak on workforce and economic development as part of a fireside chat-style discussion with Mike McGiffin, vice president of Engagement & Investor Relations with Lake to River Economic Development, the keynote sponsor. Among the key issues Wagner plans to address are educational attainment, regional collaboration and the importance of retaining and attracting skilled workers.
Originally from Warren, Wagner began his academic journey at Youngstown State University before earning his doctorate in economics at West Virginia University. His career includes faculty roles at five universities and positions with the Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland, where he served as vice president and senior regional officer at the Cincinnati branch.
He now holds an endowed chair in economics at UL Lafayette and serves as editor-in-chief of the academic journal Public Finance Review.
“Regions that have done well over the last 30 years are those that have invested in a skilled workforce and leveraged research institutions,” Wagner said. “There’s a real opportunity here to build on what Youngstown State can become.”
The annual meeting, which will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Waypoint 4180, also will recognize four individuals with special awards: Wally King and Wagner will receive Valley Champion Awards; Dan Rivers, the Spirit of the Valley Award; and Shelley Murray, the Spirit of the Chamber Award.