With a troubled economy impacting us at work and at home, the ELGL 2012 Issue and Speakers Series is proud to announce the addition of Dr. Tom Potiowsky, Oregon’s state economist, a speaker who can provide a unique perspective into the new economy. A meeting location will be announced at a later date.
Dr. Potiowsky will focus his remarks on current economic conditions and how local governments can adjust to the “new normal.” He’ll also provide us an introduction to the Northwest Institute of Applied Economic Research (http://www.pdx.edu/nwiaer/).
Brief Bio
Dr. Tom Potiowsky, Oregon’s state economist, will resign effective Sept. 15 to return to Portland State University as chair of the Department of Economics and director of the newly formed Northwest Institute of Applied Economic Research.
As Oregon’s state economist, he works in the Office of Economic Analysis, which is in the Department of Administrative Services. The office is responsible for developing and disseminating quarterly state economic and demographic forecasts and estimating General Fund revenue for the State of Oregon. The office also provides biannual forecasts of prison inmates. The forecasts are used to develop both the Governor’s Budget and the Legislatively Approved Budget.
Dr. Potiowsky received a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado in 1981 and a B.B.A. degree in Economics from Ohio University in 1975. Upon graduation from the University of Colorado, he was an Assistant Professor at the university before moving to Portland State University in 1983. At Portland State University, Dr. Potiowsky was Chair of the Economics Department and Co-Director of the Applied Economics Research Group (AER Group). Tom was appointed as Acting State Economist on February 1,1999 and State Economist on August 1, 1999, serving thru September of 2006. Dr. Potiowsky returned to Portland State to teach until January of 2008 when he returned to serve as the State Economist.
Dr. Potiowsky is a member of the American Economics Association, the Western Economic Association, and the National Association for Business Economics. He also serves on the Board for the Oregon Council on Economic Education and the Oregon Progress Board. Tom was a member of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors for three years prior to his appointment with the State.