Friday, March 17, 2026
8:00 a.m. — Noon
ETSU Martin Center for the Arts
Powell Recital Hall
For More Information, Contact:
Dr. Jill Hayter
Associate Dean of Academics, College of Business and Technology
Parking and Traffic:
- ETSU Martin Center event parking is located at the parking garage behind the Carnegie Hotel on levels 3, 4, 5, and 6. The address for this garage is: 2001 Millennium Place, Johnson City, TN 37604. Parking is FREE for this event.
- ADA-accessible parking and drop-off is located adjacent to the Martin Center in Lot 55, accessible via Harris Drive West, behind the Bank of Tennessee building. A shuttle will be available to transport patrons from the ADA-accessible parking to the security checkpoint at the front.
- ADA-accessible spots are also located in the parking garage. There is an elevator in the garage. The walkway from the garage to the Martin Center is covered.
- Please do not park in business lots located near the Martin Center. Those are privately owned spaces, and your vehicle may be subject to towing.
Previous Appalachian Highlands Economic Forums
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2025
Featured Speakers
Keynote Presentation
Dr. John Silvia
Founder, Dynamic Economic StrategyDr. John Silvia is a renowned economist and the founder of Dynamic Economic Strategy. With a career spanning decades, he has established himself as a leading voice in economic analysis and forecasting. Formerly, he served as managing director and chief economist for Wells Fargo, where he provided expert insights
on economic trends and policy. His experience extends to Capitol Hill, where he held senior economist positions for the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.Dr. Silvia is a prolific author, having published several books on economics and finance, and is a frequent commentator on major financial news networks. Recognized for his
accurate economic forecasts, he has received awards from organizations such as Focus Economics and Fannie Mae.Decoding Inflation
Dr. Aryaman Bhatnagar
Assistant Professor of Economics, ETSUDr. Bhatnagar earned his Ph.D. in economics from The University of Kansas. Prior to obtaining his Ph.D., he
was a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Government Reforms and Infrastructure Development unit.Economics of Homebuilding
Barak Saltzman
East Tennessee Division President, D.R. HortonBarak Saltzman leads the East Tennessee Division for D.R. Horton, the nation’s largest homebuilder. With over
1,500 homes closed annually in the region, Saltzman is a key figure in the East Tennessee housing market. He
brings over a decade of experience and holds degrees in economics from The Ohio State University and an
MBA from Xavier University.The Role of Airports and Airlines in the Appalachian Highlands
Dr. Jessie Xie
Associate Professor of Economics, ETSUDr. Xie earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Kansas State University. Dr. Xie’s research focuses on Airline Economics and Health Economics, and her work has been published in numerous academic journals.
Employer Driven Pathway Model to High-Need Livable Wage Jobs
Dr. Jeff Moorhouse
Corporate Director of Secondary Programs, Ballad Health • Director of P20 Initiatives, ETSUDr. Jeff Moorhouse is a champion of education and workforce development in Northeast Tennessee. He serves as the corporate director of secondary programs for Ballad Health and Director of P20 Initiatives for ETSU. With over 30 years in public education, he has a track record of aligning education with workforce needs.
Let it Ride or Take the Money and Run
Dr. William J. Trainor, Jr., CFA
John H. Poteat Chairholder/Professor of Finance, ETSUDr. Trainor received his Ph.D. in Finance from Virginia Tech in 1994 and has been with ETSU since 2006. He has
also been a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder since 2002.The Economic Impacts of Investments on the Regional Economy
Dr. Jon L. Smith
Professor of Economics, ETSUDr. Smith was awarded an MA from the University of South Carolina in 1975. He received his Ph.D. from the
University of South Carolina in 1982.Accelerate Appalachia: Innovation’s Role in Economic Development
Heath Guinn
Founder, Sync SpaceHeath Guinn is an entrepreneur and community leader driving innovation and economic development in Northeast Tennessee. As founder of Sync Space and CEO of Accelerate Appalachia, he supports startups and fosters a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Guinn is an ETSU alumnus and a passionate advocate for the region.
In Conversation
Dr. Tony Pittarese
Dean, ETSU College of Business & Technology
Miles Burdine
President/CEO, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
Bob Cantler
President/CEO, Johnson City/Jonesborough/Washington County Chamber of Commerce
Beth Rhinehart
President/CEO, Bristol Chamber of Commerce
-
2024
Featured Speakers
Dr. Aryaman Bhatnagar
Assistant Professor of Economics
Dr. Bhatnagar is from Mumbai, India. He received a B.Sc. in Economics in 2014 from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (Mumbai, India) and an M.A in Economics in 2016 from Jawaharlal Nehru University (Delhi, India). In 2023 he earned his Ph.D. in economics from The University of Kansas. Prior to obtaining his Ph.D., he was a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Government Reforms and Infrastructure Development unit, where his role was to work closely with national and sub-national governments on issues of macroeconomic policy.
Dr. Jon Smith
Professor of Economics
Dr. Jon L. Smith is Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics and Finance at East Tennessee State University and Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
Dr. Smith attended Mississippi State University where he received a BS in Business Administration. Dr. Smith was awarded an MA from the University of South Carolina in 1975. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1982. Dr. Smith has taught at ETSU since 1980.
Dr. Joseph Newhard
Professor of Economics
Joseph holds B.A.s in Economics and Political Science from Ohio State University and a M.A. in Economics from Bowling Green State University. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Economics from Clemson University.
Joseph worked in Greenwich, Connecticut as a research associate for CNH Partners, an affiliate of AQR Capital Management, throughout the final three years of graduate school. Prior to coming to ETSU he worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Private Enterprise Research Center at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on interest groups and economic regulation.
Dr. William Trainor
Professor of Finance
William J. Trainor is a Professor of Finance in the Department of Economics and Finance at East Tennessee State University. Dr. Trainor received his Ph.D. in Finance from Virginia Tech in 1994 and has been with ETSU since 2006. He has also been a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder since 2002.
Trainor has published extensively in journals such as Financial Review, Journal of Index Investing, Journal of Personal Finance, Journal of Financial Planning, Journal of Investing, Atlantic Economic Journal, and Financial Services Review among others. He has received both ETSU’s School of Business and Technology’s Faculty Excellence Award for Outstanding New Faculty and the Faculty Excellence Award for Scholarship. Dr. Trainor teaches Investments, Applied Equity Valuation in which students manage a TVA investment portfolio. Last year the team received congressional recognition for their performance in the activity.
Stuart C. McWhorter
Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner
Stuart C. McWhorter has served as TNECD commissioner since July 2022. During his tenure, TNECD has nearly 140 projects, which represent more than 19,400 job commitments and $10.1 billion in capital investment. Of those projects, more than 29 percent were the result of foreign direct investment.
McWhorter has a diverse background in entrepreneurship, corporate finance and strategic planning. He served as co-founder and chairman of Clayton Associates with over 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing.
McWhorter stepped away from Clayton Associates in 2019 to join Governor Lee’s administration as commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration. He led the drafting of two fiscal year state budgets, co-chaired the Governor’s Healthcare Modernization Task Force and was appointed director of the Tennessee Unified Command Group to coordinate the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, McWhorter previously served as the CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and chairman of the Board of Directors of Nashville-based FirstBank Financial Corporation (NYSE: FBK).
He received his Master of Health Administration from The University of Alabama-Birmingham and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Clemson University.
In Conversation
Dr. Tony Pittarese
Dean, ETSU College of Business & Technology
Dr. Christel Young
Site Director, BlueSky Tennessee Institute
Dr. Jill Hayter
Associate Dean for Academics, ETSU College of Business & Technology
-
2023
The Inaugural Appalachian Highlands Economic Forum was presented by the College of Business and Technology and the Department of Economics and Finance. The forum is a chance for stakeholders vested in economic development from across the region – including business, government, and citizens – to come together to discuss the future of the region. The event is free, but registration is required. The program will cover topics such as: Housing Market, Inflation, Forecasting Interest Rates, financial literacy in the community, and a national economic outlook. Keynote speaker Mark Vitner, Chief Economist of Piedmont Crescent Capital and former senior Economist at Wells Fargo Bank, will discuss the national economic environment as it pertains to the region.
Featured Speakers
National Economic Overview
Mark Vitner
Founder, Piedmont Crescent Capital
Mark Vitner recently founded Piedmont Crescent Capital, after spending the past 30 years at Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank, where he was managing director and senior economist. At his new firm, Vitner writes numerous economic reports and provides analysis of local economies and residential and commercial real estate.
Originally from Atlanta, Vitner earned a BBA in economics from the University of Georgia and an MBA from the University of Florida. He is a member of the National Association of Business Economics and its inaugural Certified Business Economist program. He chaired the Economic Advisory Council for the California Chamber of Commerce for three years and currently serves on the Joint Board of Economists for the Commonwealth of Virginia. His commentary has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and many other publications, and he makes frequent guest appearances on CNBC and other major networks.
State of the Local Economy
Dr. Jon L. Smith
Professor of Economics
Dr. Jon L. Smith is Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics and Finance at East Tennessee State University and Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
Dr. Smith attended Mississippi State University where he received a BS in Business Administration. Dr. Smith was awarded an MA from the University of South Carolina in 1975. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1982. Dr. Smith has taught at ETSU since 1980.Projection on Interest Rates
Dr. William Trainor
Professor of Economics
William J. Trainor is a Professor of Finance in the Department of Economics and Finance at East Tennessee State University. Dr. Trainor received his Ph.D. in Finance from Virginia Tech in 1994 and has been with ETSU since 2006. He has also been a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder since 2002.
Trainor has published extensively in journals such as Financial Review, Journal of Index Investing, Journal of Personal Finance, Journal of Financial Planning, Journal of Investing, Atlantic Economic Journal, and Financial Services Review among others. He has received both ETSU’s School of Business and Technology’s Faculty Excellence Award for Outstanding New Faculty and the Faculty Excellence Award for Scholarship. Dr. Trainor teaches Investments, Applied Equity Valuation in which students manage a TVA investment portfolio. Last year the team received congressional recognition for their performance in the activity.
Financial Literacy in the Community
Dr. Anca Traian
Assistant Professor of Finance, Martha Butler Rector Faculty Fellow
Anca Traian, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and Finance at ETSU, where she teaches finance courses such as Corporate Finance, Bank Management, and Credit Management. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from Middle Tennessee State University, her M.S. in Finance from Golden Gate University, and her MBA from Eastern New Mexico University. Dr. Traian worked in the banking industry as a loan review and credit analyst, and she completed a non-degree program at the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado.
Her research interests lie in the area of financial economics, ranging from how people make financial decisions to alternative financial services and financial literacy.
Housing Market & Real Estate Outlook
Dr. Joseph Newhard
Associate Professor of Economics
Joseph holds B.A.s in Economics and Political Science from Ohio State University and a M.A. in Economics from Bowling Green State University. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Economics from Clemson University.
Joseph worked in Greenwich, Connecticut as a research associate for CNH Partners, an affiliate of AQR Capital Management, throughout the final three years of graduate school. Prior to coming to ETSU he worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Private Enterprise Research Center at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on interest groups and economic regulation.
In Conversation
Dean Tony Pittarese, Scott Andrew, Assoc. Professor Jill Hayter
Enjoy a conversation between Dr. Tony Pittarese, Dean of the College of Business & Technology at ETSU, Mark Andrew, serial entrepreneur, and Dr. Jill Hayter, Associate Professor of Economics at ETSU.