Dr. Donald Boudreaux
Economic Club of Minnesota
George Mason University economist Don Boudreaux took the stage at the Economic Club of Minnesota on May 11, 2026, as a myth-buster with a simple but powerful challenge: compared to what? In his presentation on Trump’s second-term tariffs, Boudreaux cut through the political noise by stacking 2025’s economic performance against hard benchmarks, including 2024 and Trump’s own first term in 2017. The numbers told a sobering story. Nonfarm employment grew at just 0.5% in 2025 versus 1.6% in 2017, manufacturing employment actually declined, unemployment rose, and all three major stock indices...
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Professor Mari Pangestu
Economic Club of Minnesota
Against a backdrop of surging tariffs, fracturing alliances, and rising protectionist sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Economic Club of Minnesota gathered to celebrate someone who has spent her entire career swimming against that current. Dr. Mari Elka Pangestu, economist, former cabinet minister, World Bank managing director, and now Indonesia's Special Envoy for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation, received the Bill Frenzel Champion of Free Trade Award. The honor could not have come at a sharper moment. As Minnesota companies navigate the whiplash of...
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The Geopolitical Power of Agriculture
Economic Club of Minnesota
On March 30, the Economic Club of Minnesota hosted “The Geopolitical Power of Agriculture,” bringing together CHS President & CEO Jay Debertin and CoBank CEO Tom Halverson for a candid conversation about the pressures facing American farmers. The verdict was sobering: row crop producers, particularly soybean and corn growers here in the Midwest, are caught in a perfect storm of depressed commodity prices, trade-driven uncertainty, and surging competition from Brazil. As the Minnesota Star Tribune reported, Halverson noted that the Midwest is the “epicenter” of struggles for row...
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General Paul Nakasone
Economic Club of Minnesota
The Economic Club of Minnesota welcomed retired General Paul Nakasone, former head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, for a conversation that was equal parts sobering and inspiring. Nakasone opened with a stark reality check: unlike physical borders that can be patrolled and defended, cyberspace offers no natural boundaries. There are no oceans, no walls, no checkpoints standing between America’s critical systems and those who wish to disrupt them. The threat is constant, it is evolving, and it arrives without warning. So, what separates the United States from its...
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Secretary Scott Bessent
Economic Club of Minnesota
We were delighted to welcome U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to the Economic Club of Minnesota on January 8, 2026, for an engaging and timely conversation that drew more than 325 attendees from across the Twin Cities business and civic community. Secretary Bessent shared thoughtful insights on the state of the U.S. economy and the Treasury Department’s priorities, touching on topics such as economic growth, fiscal responsibility, financial market stability, and expanding opportunity for Americans nationwide. In the discussion with moderator Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, he...
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Christophe Beck
Economic Club of Minnesota
On November 17, 2025, the Economic Club of Minnesota hosted a captivating fireside chat between Ecolab CEO Christophe Beck and Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari, drawing a packed house of business leaders, policymakers, and curious Minnesotans eager for a pulse on the state’s—and the nation’s—economic trajectory. As head of Ecolab, a St. Paul-based global giant in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions, Beck brought a practitioner’s lens to the discussion, sharing how the company is viewing and engaging with AI to improve Ecolab’s performance....
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Gov. Michael S. Barr
Economic Club of Minnesota
On October 9, 2025, Federal Reserve Governor Michael S. Barr took the stage at the Economic Club of Minnesota’s luncheon, to discuss the U.S. economy amid rising inflation and policy challenges. In his speech, “The Economic Outlook and Monetary Policy,” Barr highlighted how recent tariffs have driven inflation up, with the PCE index hitting 2.7% in August and core PCE nearing 3%. These pressures, he warned, could push inflation above 3% by year-end, complicating the Fed’s 2% target. Barr gave a personal nod to his Minnesota roots by sharing that his grandmother’s family ran a...
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Trade & Tariff Tales
Economic Club of Minnesota
The Economic Club of Minnesota (ECOM) wasted no time diving into the pressing economic conversations that shape our global landscape. On Thursday, September 25, 2025, the Club launched its 2025-2026 season with “Trade and Tariff Tales,” a timely forum that unraveled the complexities of international trade policies amid a backdrop of escalating U.S.-China tensions, supply chain disruptions, and the ever-present shadow of protectionism. The event drew a crowd of over 200 business leaders, policymakers, young professionals, and students, eager to dissect how tariffs aren’t just headlines...
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Alberto Musalem
Economic Club of Minnesota
On May 20, 2025, St. Louis Federal Reserve President Alberto Musalem delivered a compelling speech titled “Economic Conditions and Monetary Policy” at the Economic Club of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Addressing a diverse audience of business leaders, policymakers, and community members, Musalem shared his insights on the U.S. economic outlook and the implications for monetary policy. His visit included a moderated Q&A session, fostering engaging discussions on pressing economic issues. Musalem highlighted the resilience of the U.S. economy, noting a strong labor market and...
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Zeke Hernandez
Economic Club of Minnesota
On April 10, 2025, the Economic Club of Minnesota hosted Professor Exequiel "Zeke" Hernandez from The Wharton School for a compelling discussion on the economic impact of immigration. Known for his extensive research on global networks and the movement of people, ideas, and businesses, Professor Hernandez provided valuable insights into how immigration influences economic prosperity. For those interested in exploring Professor Hernandez's work further, his book, The Truth About Immigration, delves deeper into the topics discussed and offers a comprehensive look at how immigration...
info_outlineIn our final event of the season, a capacity audience was treated to a wonderful fireside chat between Jim Bullard, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Neel Kashkari, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. The discussion centered around labor, recent bank failures, digital currency and the viability of the US dollar. President Bullard said, “Rumors of the great demise of the economy are overexaggerated.” The audience asked some poignant questions regarding the Chinese and the relationship to the world’s reserve currency, the fitness of commercial real estate, and AI.