(Green Bay, Wis.) – Experts at this year’s Port Symposium shared a holistic picture of economic factors impacting Northeast Wisconsin. Topics included an economic, workforce and technology outlook for the region, Wisconsin’s circular bio-economy, the Great Lakes ports association legislative agenda, and tariffs.
With local, state and federal leaders underscoring the importance of a strong Great Lakes maritime economy, key takeaways centered on the interconnectedness of the many interests that depend on the Great Lakes. While there may be unknowns, many businesses remain upbeat about the economic outlook for the region.
“We walked away with a lot of valuable insights from this year’s symposium,” shared Brown County Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen. “We really thank our speakers and all those who participated and engaged with them. They gave us a deeper understanding of the dynamic factors that are shaping our regional economy.”
Attendees heard from County Executive Troy Streckenbach; Harbor Commission Vice President Bryan Hyska; U.S. Congressman Tony Wied (8th District); Col. Kenneth Rockwell with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; NEW Manufacturing Alliance Executive Director Ann Franz; WiSys Director of Strategy & Innovative Ventures Dr. Adhira Sunkara, PhD; Executive Director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association Brian Oszakiewski; and Dr. Marc Schaffer of St. Norbert College. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin shared an address via video.
The final speaker, Dr. Marc Schaffer, shared a comparative overview of tariffs from both the current and previous administrations. His assessment was that while GDP has remained fairly solid and consumer spending has kept our economy strong, key economic indicators to watch over the coming months will be consumer, business and government spending as well as exports.
For a deeper look at the insights shared, presentations from the symposium are available at https://www.portofgreenbay.com/symposium-presentations.
