New Mexico State University

How does our regional economy reflect national and international trends? What are the forces driving economic growth in southern New Mexico during the continuing recovery from the recent recession? Are we keeping pace? What does the future hold for New Mexico?

In collaboration with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the New Mexico State University College of Business is sponsoring a conference titled "The Role of Southern New Mexico in the Economy" from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, in the Corbett Center auditorium on the NMSU campus. This conference follows similar meetings sponsored by the Dallas bank in Hobbs and Carlsbad during the summer, and seeks to answer some of these questions.

While the U.S. economy has been in recovery mode since the summer of 2009, New Mexico has struggled to keep up with the national pace. Data indicate there is a significant difference in economic performance between northern and southern New Mexico, with the southern part of the state leading the recovery.

Roberto Coronado, assistant vice president in charge and senior economist at the El Paso Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said his team works diligently to deliver programs like this conference in the El Paso region, which covers west Texas and southern New Mexico.

"A primary goal for the El Paso Branch is to reach out to our constituents in southern New Mexico - that includes business leaders, policy makers, educators and students - and provide an overview of the local, national and global economy," Coronado said. "This will give people a wider perspective on current economic conditions, as well as provide them with the information they may need to make better decisions."

During the half-day conference, Mark Wynne, vice president, associate director of research and director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute, will speak about the global economy, followed by a presentation by the bank's assistant vice president, Tom Siems, about the national economy.

A presentation from Emily Kerr, associate economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, will cover commodities and agriculture. Jerry Pacheco, executive director of the Santa Teresa-based International Business Accelerator, will give an overview of New Mexico's trade and infrastructure with Mexico.

Following lunch, NMSU Regents Professor Jim Peach will give a local perspective in his talk on the southern New Mexico economy.

Kathleen Brook, interim dean of NMSU's College of Business, said partnership between the El Paso Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the college offers a particularly good opportunity for faculty and students - along with members of the Las Cruces community - to understand how New Mexico can move ahead economically.

"This conference provides a chance for all of us to learn more about how southern New Mexico is influenced by events at the national and international levels," she said.

While there is no charge for the conference, registration is required by Oct. 11 at www.dallasfed.org/research/events.

For more information, call the College of Business at 575-646-2821.