ODU to Produce Annual State of the Commonwealth Report, Starting in 2015

December 08, 2014

James V. Koch

Old Dominion University's Strome College of Business has announced a partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce to create a companion, statewide report to accompany the annual State of the Region Report, which focuses on Hampton Roads and has been produced for the past 15 years by ODU's Center for Economic Analysis and Policy.

Former ODU President James V. Koch, editor of the State of the Region report, will produce the first annual State of the Commonwealth Report, focusing on statewide economic forecasting and issues. It will appear in November 2015, one month after the annual State of the Region Report.

Gary Wagner, ODU professor of economics and co-author of this year's State of the Region report, will direct the 2015 State of the Region.

"The State of the Commonwealth report constitutes a marvelous opportunity for Old Dominion University to project its programs and competence into new venues and before influential new audiences throughout Virginia. It is a coup for the Strome College to be selected for this activity," Koch said.

Founded by ODU's Regional Studies Institute, the State of the Region Report examines a wide array of Hampton Roads issues, providing an economic snapshot, along with reports on select topic areas.

The State of the Region breakfast presentations, conducted for the past few years by Koch and Wagner, are popular events in the community, hosted by Lead Hampton Roads. For the State of the Commonwealth Report, the Virginia Chamber will sponsor a series of similar breakfasts and lunches around Virginia, at which the report will be presented.