Experts Forecast Mixed 2013 at MTSU Economic Outlook Conference

http://mtsunews.com/economic-outlook-conference-2012/ 

The Midstate economy has shown promising signs of recovery heading into 2013, but regulatory and policy-making uncertainty on the national stage continue to hinder sustained economic growth and threaten to reverse any economic momentum gained since the peak of the recession. [more]

Economic Outlook 2012

Download presentation pdf

Economist David Penn's presentation (pdf)

Economic Outlook Conference Sept. 21

(Business and Economic Research Center)

Economic Indicators and Outlook Conference

http://www.mtsu.edu/berc

• Seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance are gently rising, reflecting an increased number of layoffs for Tennessee employers in August. The trend for UI claims has increased to 6,040 per week in August, rising from the recent low of 5,801 per week in April. Rising initial claims will place upward pressure on the unemployment rate.
• Single family home construction for Tennessee, as measured by seasonally adjusted building permits, rose to 1,084 units in July, up from 1,011 in June. The less volatile trend also increased.
• Tennessee's unemployment rate climbed to 8.4% in July, the third monthly rise. Employment, according to the household survey, declined in July, following declines in all but one month this year.
• Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment rose slightly in July, adding 6,400 jobs. While higher than in June, nonfarm employment has shown little change in 2012.
• Seasonally adjusted state sales tax collections were about the same in July as in June. The less volatile moving average has shown little change since March.
• Details by MSA

Economic Outlook Conference Friday

The annual MTSU conference is scheduled for Friday, September 21, at Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro. To register,

• call 615-898-2764, or 
• email teena.young@mtsu.edu

Entrepreneurship Chair GIves Conference Keynote

Doug Tatum, Wright Travel Chair of Entrepreneurship, gave a keynote speech, "No Man’s Land and the Economics of Growing Middle Market Companies," based on his book No Man's Land: Where Growing Companies Fail at the Alliance of Merger and Acquisition Advisors summer conference.

Lecture: "How Economists Helped End the Draft"

The Department of Economics and Finance will host David R. Henderson on September 12, 2012, at 7 p.m. in the State Farm Room (BAS S102) on the MTSU campus.

Professor Henderson will give a lecture titled “How Economists Helped End the Draft.” It will be about an hour long, with 15 minutes afterward for questions.

David R. Henderson is an associate professor of economics at the Naval Postgraduate School and a research fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution who blogs at Econlog.

For more information: 

• Mike Hammock
  Michael.Hammock@mtsu.edu
  615-494-8678

Accounting Meet the Firms

The Department of Accounting Meet the Firms networking event is scheduled for Thursday, September 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of James Union Building (JUB) on the MTSU campus.

Golf Tournament: Chair of Finance

The 24th Annual Jack O. Weatherford Invitational Scramble Golf Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26, 2012.

If you or your company are interested in playing or would like to sponsor a hole, please register here:

• 2012 WCF Golf Scramble

Please mail registration and checks to:

Weatherford Chair of Finance
P.O. Box 27, MTSU
Murfreesboro, TN  37132       
Attn:  Diane Cothern

The Weatherford Chair of Finance has conducted an annual golf tournament, in the fall of the year, since 1989. The tournament raises funds to support the Financial Institution Management program, research, scholarships, and conferences. This year the tournament will be held at the Old Fort Golf Club and usually draws 144 players who are leaders of Middle Tennessee's banks, thrift institutions and their clients. 

For information, contact Diane Cothern:

• diane.cothern@mtsu.edu 
• 615-898-2883

Small Giants

Doug Tatum, Wright Travel Chair of Entrepreneurship, presented at the Small Giants International Summit in San Francisco in June. [Read more about the Small Giants Community.]

Networking Event: Digging Deeper

Seniors are invited to network with more than 35 employers on Tuesday, September 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. in James Union Building (JUB) on MTSU campus. Dress is business casual.

Discuss careers in multiple industries. Employer attendees have backgrounds in human resources, retail, sales, banking, financial services, business services, insurance, non-profit, consulting, entrepreneurial, communication and restaurant management.

For  more information, contact

• Jean Wilson, Jean.Wilson@mtsu.edu 

[Department of Management and Marketing]

Employment Growth by Industry

http://www.mtsu.edu/~berc/tacir/tennesseejobs.html 

Employment by industry heat tables and summary tables for the
Tennessee and 10 metropolitan statistical areas through July:

• Chattanooga MSA
• Clarksville MSA
• Cleveland MSA
• Jackson MSA
• Johnson City MSA
• Kingsport-Bristol MSA
• Knoxville MSA
• Memphis MSA
• Morristown MSA
• Nashville MSA
• Tennessee

In Remembrance: Rebecca Ransom Jones

Mrs. Ellen Rebecca Ransom Jones, wife of Jennings A. Jones, for whom our college is named, passed away on Thursday, August 9, at the age of 99 years and 1 day.  Mrs. Jones was predeceased by her husband.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and the philanthropic foundation which they established, were extraordinary benefactors to the college, the university, and the community at large. They were very involved in educational philanthropy at all levels, pre-K through college, and provided the start-up funding for many noteworthy endeavors in the community.

Mrs. Jones was an avid and well-known horticulturist with a special affinity for roses.  She was also quite dedicated to animals and was especially supportive of the Jesse C. Beesley Foundation.

The faculty and staff of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business at MTSU are deeply saddened at  the passing of a dear friend and benefactor, Mrs. Rebecca Jones. 

[online obituary and services  - Woodfin Funeral Chapels]

Tennessee Housing Market 2nd Quarter 2012

http://www.mtsu.edu/~berc/housingbrief.html 

On balance, the Tennessee housing market showed very modest improvement in the second quarter, following a stronger first quarter. Housing construction continued to grow, rebounding mildly from very low levels, but real estate transactions and mortgage activity fell. Home sales rose in Nashville but not in Memphis or Knoxville. Mortgage delinquency rates fell again, continuing a long trend of improvement. . . . [newsletter]

Economic Outlook Conference

http://www.mtsu.edu/econconference 

The annual MTSU Economic Outlook Conference is scheduled for Friday, September 21, at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. 

Speakers will include:

• Greg Gonzales, Commissioner of Financial Institutions, State of Tennessee

• David Penn, director of MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center, on the midstate outlook

• Donald Ratajczak, Regents Professor of Economics Emeritus at Georgia State University, with a national forecast

Registration
Directions

Motlow State/MTSU Partner for New Center

http://www.t-g.com/story/1878054.html 

"'A Celebration of Education' was held at Middle Tennessee Education Center Thursday afternoon, introducing the Bedford County community to the center and the expanded curriculum available to local students." [Times-Gazette article]

Agents Recognized in MTSU Insurance Hall of Fame

Three insurance professionals soon will be recognized for their stellar insurance careers with induction into the Robert E. Musto Tennessee Insurance Hall of Fame at MTSU. [Daily News Journal article]

Jones College Annual Report 2011-2012

• downloadable pdf [7/18/12]
• Flash page-flip version

MTSU Finance Major

Tennessee Census Representative

Erran F. Persley is a data dissemination specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce/U.S. Census Bureau whose office is located in Murfreesboro. He is responsible for assisting businesses, community-based organizations, and state and local governments in utilizing census data and data tools to make business and policy decisions, apply for federal grants, and promote community and economic development in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee.

Persley’s prior services include being senior vice president for Africa at Chemonics International Inc., one of the most technically diverse companies in the trade development industry. Persley began his career as an intern at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s office of international major projects during the George Bush Sr. administration in 1990. In 1994, Persley served under Secretary Ronald H. Brown as the international trade specialist in charge of the Japanese Official Development Assistance program at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he assisted American companies in their efforts to bid for the $11 billion in projects financed by the Japanese government in developing countries.

Persley is an active member of the community. His public service work with youth employment and development programs and other numerous community service activities display his commitment to the reduction of poverty both in the United States and abroad.

Persley holds dual Master in Business Administration degrees from Georgetown University and the ESADE School of Business in Madrid, Spain. His undergraduate course work was in Political Science at Howard University.

Contact information:
Erran F. Persley
Data Dissemination Specialist
Tennessee and Kentucky
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau

Email: erran.f.persley@census.gov
Mobile: (615) 499-0976

Business Grads Have Most Positive Job Outlook

"Business graduates have the most positive outlook through 2017 because those with business degrees are most likely to work in industries where above average job and wage growth are expected, according to a report from industry analysis firm IBISWorld, MSNBC reports." [Read more at Memphis Business Journal and MSNBC.]

Special Report: State Sales Tax Collections

http://mtsu.edu/berc/tacir  

"State Sales Tax Collections and Purchasing Power" 

State sales tax collections for April rose 8.8% over the year. Collections for all 10 MSAs increased at least 5%, with five MSAs experiencing double-digit gains.... 

[download report pdf]