Economic Futurist Jeff Thredgold Speaks At Una Graduation May 9

Apr. 02, 2009

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, Ala. - Economic futurist Jeff Thredgold will speak at the University of North Alabama's spring commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. May 9 in Flowers Hall.

An economic consultant to numerous clients in a variety of industries, Thredgold has been helping people understand the tangled maze of the economy and financial markets for more than three decades. With a unique ability to "cut through the fluff," he leads his audience on a slightly irreverent, up-to-the-minute tour of the economy, financial markets, education, government and a sneak preview of the future. His latest book, "econAmerica: Why the American Economy is Alive and Well … And What That Means to Your Wallet," was published by Wiley and Sons in July 2007. In "econAmerica," Thredgold explains in detail the four key factors, or "Silver Bullets," that will drive the American economy for years to come. Thredgold's career includes 23 years with $95 billion banking giant KeyCorp, where he served as senior vice president and chief economist. He now serves as economic consultant to $50 billion Zions Bancorporation, which has banks in 10 states, as well as other clients. Thredgold has appeared dozens of times on CNBC-TV, the nation's business network, as well as numerous appearances on CNN, and is quoted regularly in the nation's financial press. He is a monthly contributor to the national publication Blue Chip Financial Forecasts and quarterly USA Today economic forecast surveys. Thredgold has been writing a weekly economic and financial newsletter, now titled the Tea Leaf, for 32 years. In addition to "econAmerica," he is the author of "Economy by Thredgold, A Parent's Letter to My Children in School" and "On The One Hand … The Economist's Joke Book." He served as an adjunct professor of finance at the University of Utah for 16 years and served as president of the National Association for Business Economics Utah Chapter. He is a former member of the Economic Advisory Committee of the American Bankers Association and the Economic Policy Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

PHOTO AVAILABLE: For a photo of Thredgold, contact the Office of University Communications at 256-765-4225 or jlwoods1@una.edu.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.