2012 Economic Outlook: Moving Forward in Fragile Times

Despite strong growth in many distribution sectors over the past year – surpassing expectations for many – uncertainty continues to pervade the economic environment. Get some hard numbers for better planning with MDM’s annual economic update webcast. Scroll down to register to watch this program on-demand free.

This program is now available on DVD. Order the DVD.

During the 90-minute program, sponsored by NetSuite, you’ll learn what’s next in manufacturing and construction end-markets. MDM will also present data from its recently released 2011 Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports to provide perspective on where the industry has been and where it’s going.

Here is the agenda:

I. Trends in Wholesale Distribution
Current trends in distribution will be discussed. Tom Gale, president of Industrial Market Information and publisher of Modern Distribution Management, will also provide an overview of key trends outlined in the newly released 2011 Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports, now available at www.mdm.com/wder.

II. Construction End-Market Forecast
Ken Simonson, Chief Economist of the Associated General Contractors of America, shares his insight into current conditions in construction end-markets. He addresses trends in residential and nonresidential markets and what they mean as we move into the first quarter of 2012.

III. Manufacturing End-Market Forecast
Jeremy Leonard, economist for the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI, will review how the fragile economic recovery has proceeded to date and provide MAPI’s latest forecast for economic growth and for the manufacturing sector in 2012.

IV. Q&A
During the live event, you will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.

 

SPONSORED BY:

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SPEAKERS:

Ken Simonson
Ken Simonson joined Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America on September 10, 2001. Ken’s weekly one-page email newsletter for AGC, The Data DIGest, provides 15,000 readers with economic news relevant to construction. He is interviewed and quoted almost daily by local and national media, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and CNBC.

Ken has 35 years of experience analyzing, advocating and communicating about economic and tax issues. Before joining AGC, he was senior economic advisor in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy. Earlier, he was vice president and chief economist for the American Trucking Associations. He also worked with the President’s Commission on Industrial Competitiveness, the

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and an economic consulting firm.

Ken has a BA in economics from the University of Chicago and an MA in economics from Northwestern University.

Jeremy Leonard
Jeremy A. Leonard has been Economic Consultant for the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), a business research organization located in Arlington, VA, since 1997. His work includes widely-cited research on the cost pressures affecting U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, the impact of information-technology investment on business processes and innovation, the sources of productivity growth, and an annual review and forecast of the Canadian economy. 

He also wrote a chapter on innovation for U.S. Manufacturing: The Engine for Growth in a Global Economy, published in September 2003 by Praeger. Mr. Leonard makes presentations on these and other topics regularly at business conferences, trade association meetings and other events in both the United States and Canada.

Mr. Leonard is a member of the National Association of Business Economics, and was the recipient of its annual Abramson Award in 2010 and runner-up for its Mennis Award in 2007.

Prior to his affiliation with MAPI, Mr. Leonard held research posts at the Institut de recherche en politiques publiques (Montreal, Quebec) and the Committee for Economic Development (Washington, DC).

Ranga Bodla
Ranga Bodla, Director of Industry Marketing with a focus on wholesale distribution, brings to NetSuite more than 15 years of combined product management and marketing experience, with expertise in the software technology industry. In his current role, Bodla is charged with driving the marketing strategy and programs targeting wholesale distribution companies. Prior to joining NetSuite, Ranga led a global team focused on the successful go-to-market of SAP’s Governance Risk and Compliance Solutions. Prior to his role at SAP, Bodla led Product Management and Marketing at Pilot Software (acquired by SAP). He has also held product roles at Hyperion Solutions and IBM-WebSphere, where he was instrumental in the launch of a number of new analytics applications. Bodla received a BS in Engineering from Trinity University in San Antonio. He is an avid world traveler having visited all seven continents including Antarctica.
 

MODERATOR:

Tom Gale
Publisher of Modern Distribution Management, a specialized information service that provides insight and analysis on trends in wholesale distribution channels. Modern Distribution Management's information services include paid print/online newsletters, industry intelligence e-newsletters, web site, webcasts, book and special reports publishing - all focused on wholesale distribution. Published since 1967, Tom became the second editor of the publication when he purchased it in 1992.