Taking stock of the local transportation economy

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Experts in the academic, public, and private sector spoke about the transportation industry's economic role Thursday morning at the 2017 Economic Outlook Conference.

Adam Jones, Ph.D. shared an update on our local economy.

"Prior to the end of the housing boom, New Hanover County and the surrounding areas were growing very quickly, but then slowed in the recession, grew very quickly coming out of the recession, and have now normalized into a growth rate of about 3 percent a year," said Jones. "Wilmington is truly becoming a hub for southeastern North Carolina. Let's make sure we have the spokes connected."

Panel speakers included Julie A. Wilsey, director of the Wilmington International Airport; Danny McComas, member of the NC Board of Transportation; and Paul Cozza, executive director of the NC State Ports Authority. Economic forecasts of the local region were presented by UNC Wilmington economists Adam Jones and Tom Simpson; and Brian Daley, Portfolio Manager at Bank of America.

The program, which was scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., was sponsored by the Swain Center for Executive and Professional Education in the Cameron School of Business.

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