2012 Program and Schedule

Lunch with Keynote
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
12:15 - 1:45 p.m.

Making the Economics Case for Investing in Young Children

  Join Rob Grunewald, Associate Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, for Wednesday's keynote.

As businesses demand workers with higher levels of skills and governments make do with limited resources, the economic case for investing in young children continues to strengthen.  Promoting effective early childhood programs addresses both the opportunities and challenges facing the ecomony and public budgets.  Longstanding reserach and recent pilot projects provide a framework to convince policymakers that focusing resources on young children makes economic sense.

Grunewald conducts regional economic research and is co-author of Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return, an economic policy paper, which has been featured in the media, legislative hearings, and seminars throughout the United States.

Grunewald serves on the board of directors for the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency, Think Small: Leaders in Early Learning, the advisory board for First Children’s Finance Growth Fund and as vice president for the Minnesota Economic Association.

Grunewald holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and religion from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree in applied economics from the University of Minnesota.