Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Intel's chief economist to speak at PCC-Rock Creek on the essential role of free trade

Photos and story by James Hill

Intel Corp.’s Chief Economist Paul Thomas will kick off Portland Community College’s new Global Business Speaker Series on Wednesday, Nov 12.

His presentation, “Around the World with Intel: Meeting Global Demand for Information Technology,” will address the economic conditions behind the growing worldwide demand and supply of information technology. Thomas will discuss Intel’s part in the design and production of this technology and the essential role of free trade in meeting this demand and increasing productivity worldwide.

Introducing Thomas will be Mike Francis, associate editor with The Oregonian. Francis writes on business, technology and international affairs.

The free, limited-seating event will take place from 7:15 to 8:45 a.m., Event Center, Building 9, Rock Creek Campus, 17705 N.W. Springville Road. A limited number of non-reserved seats are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Those wishing to attend can register at (503) 614-7447, or email: bushum@pcc.edu.

Thomas is chief economist and manager of market sizing and forecasting at Intel. He joined Intel in 2004, after working at Continental Airlines in Houston, Texas, from 1997 to 2004 and as chief economist from 2001 to 2004. Thomas was senior economist at Douglas Aircraft Co., in Long Beach, Calif., from 1988 to 1997. Prior to that, he served on the economics faculties of Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Ill., and of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.

He holds a doctorate in business economics from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. He holds a master’s degree in social science and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. He also served as research fellow in economics studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

“Intel supports the advancement of trade agreements worldwide as well as on a regional basis (such as Central America and the North American free trade agreements) or with bilateral agreements (such as the U.S.-Singapore free trade agreement) in order to improve access to markets around the world,” said Bill MacKenzie, Communications Manager for Intel Corporate Affairs in Oregon. “This Global Speaker Series event will provide an opportunity to discuss what free trade means to Intel and America at this critical economic juncture.”

PCC’s Global Speaker Series is part of the college’s recently awarded $400,000 U.S. Department of Education grant, which includes matching funds from partners. The college, along with federal and local trade-assistance agencies, businesses and associations, will use the funds to broaden the global-business knowledge of students, faculty, entrepreneurs and Oregon-based business enterprises.

The college’s partners include the Export Council, Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, Oregon Small Business Development Center Network, Pacific Northwest International Trade Association, District Export Council of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Portland Business Alliance, U.S. Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration.

One of the many facets of the grant funding is to host a series of International Business Speaker Forums at various PCC campuses to give the community a chance to learn from speakers with international business experience.

Intel Corporation, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technology, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom, and blogs.intel.com. Intel Oregon, with 15,000 employees, is Intel’s largest site, Oregon’s largest private employer and a global center for semiconductor research and manufacturing. Learn more at www.intel.com/community/oregon