WYOMING PANELISTS

Born in China, Wenlin Liu earned his M.S. in Rangeland Economics, and Ph.D. in Agriculture and Resource Economics from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Wenlin Liu began his career with the Division in 1992. Over the years, he has been working on demographic and economic projects such as County Population Projections; Wyoming Economic Summary Report; Wyoming Economic and Demographic Forecast Report; and Wyoming Sales, Use, and Lodging Tax Report.

His daily tasks involve providing research, analysis, and consultation on demographic and economic statistics including Population and Household Characteristics, and Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics of Wyoming residents. He also prepares and delivers reports and presentations on state and local economic and demographic insight and trends, and their implications on public policy.

Wenlin and his wife Shuyeh have one daughter and one son.

Mark Vitner has over 25 years experience as an economist forecasting and tracking economic trends at both the national and regional levels. He is well-known and respected throughout the financial services industry for providing insightful economic commentary with a common sense approach to explaining economic and financial events. A frequent public speaker giving 150-200 presentations each year and also meeting one-on-one with more than 100 clients on an annual basis.

Mr. Vitners work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, USA Today and many other publications. Frequent guest on CNBC, CNN, Fox Business News, National Public Radio and the NewsHour.

Mark currently works for Wells Fargo Corporation, Charlotte, NC as Managing Director and Senior Economist. He analyze and forecast US macro economic conditions, including interest rates and monetary policy. Regularly meets with the largest and most important clients in all lines of business including Corporate and Investment Banking, Wealth Management, Business Banking, and Real Estate. Provides timely economic commentary, analysis and insight to colleagues, customers and the media on an ongoing basis. Regularly speaks at customer events, conferences, senior level meetings and with regulators and elected officials. Provides input for strategic direction of the company. Regularly writes the Monthly Economic Outlook, Weekly Economic & Financial Commentary, and special reports on consumer spending, regional economies, housing and commercial real estate. Developed most of the publications currently in use by the economics area and constantly innovating new ways to deliver economic content.

Is Productivity Too Strong For Our Own Good? (with Azhar Iqbal) National Association of Business Economics 2012 Annual Meeting. October 2012. New York. Winner of the NABE Award

The State of the States: A Probit Approach. (with Anika Kahn, Jay Bryson, Azhar Iqbal and Sarah Watt) 2012 American Economic Association Meeting, January 2012, Chicago, IL

Is Productivity Too Strong For Our Own Good? (with Azhar Iqbal) Western Economics Association 2011 Annual Meeting. July 2011. San Diego, CA

The Deeper the Recession, the Stronger the Recovery—Is It Really That Simple? (with Azhar Iqbal) National Association of Business Economics 2010 Annual Meeting and winner of the Edward Mennis Award for best paper.

Did Monetary Policy Fuel the Housing Bubble? A Modern Day Puzzle. (with Azhar Iqbal) Western Economic Association International 85th Annual Conference. June 2010. Portland, OR