Speakers

The Illinois Economy in 2020: Difficult Challenges, No Easy Answers

In this presentation Dr. Kriz will review the difficult path that the economy has taken over the last 3 months. Starting from cautious optimism about economic growth prospects in January and early February, he will trace the rapid economic decline caused by the coronavirus and the response of households, businesses, and governments. Then he will describe and assess our current situation and proposed pathways forward. Finally, he will discuss some of the potential long-run impacts from the virus and a heightened awareness of risks to the economy and our livelihoods.

Kenneth A. Kriz, Ph.D. is University Distinguished Professor of Public Administration at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Dr. Kriz conducts research focusing on subnational debt policy and administration, public pension fund management, government financial risk management, economic and revenue forecasting, and behavioral public finance. A nationally recognized scholar for his work on public finance and quantitative data analysis, Dr. Kriz has published over 40 academic journal articles and book chapters along with a textbook on quantitative research methods in public administration and a co-edited book on tax increment financing, a frequently used economic development incentive. Dr. Kriz has consulted with several public and nonprofit organizations on financial and economic matters, including the cities of New York City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Omaha, and Wichita and the states of Nebraska and Kansas. Dr. Kriz served as Vice-Chairperson of the City of Omaha, Nebraska Civilian Employees Retirement System from 2006 to 2011 and on the Board of Trustees of the Wichita, Kansas Police & Fire Retirement System and on the Joint Investment Committee for the city’s pension funds from 2014 to 2018. Dr. Kriz was a Fulbright Scholar in the Republic of Estonia during academic year 2004-05 and a Fulbright Senior Specialist in the Czech Republic in 2008.

In her role at HSHS, Starmann-Harrison leads a not-for-profit system with nine hospitals in Illinois — including HSHS St. John's in Springfield, HSHS St. Mary's in Decatur, HSHS St. Francis in Litchfield and HSHS Good Shepherd in Shelbyville — and six hospitals in Wisconsin. The system employs 14,344 people and posts total annual revenues of $2.4 billion.  Her presentation will discuss the short and intermediate term impact of the crisis on hospitals and health care delivery.

Before joining Hospital Sisters Health System in 2011, Ms. Starmann-Harrison served as the regional president and CEO, SSM Health Care of Wisconsin, Madison, from 1998 to 2011, and as CEO, Western Region, Tenet Physician Services, Phoenix, from 1997 to 1998.  Ms. Starmann-Harrison began her career in healthcare as a registered nurse in the ED of Phoenix Baptist Hospital and Medical Center.  She received a master’s degree in health service administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Arizona State University.

Mr. Barnhart will discuss the new normal of agriculture.  Covid-19 has disrupted our daily lives in ways unimaginable. But throughout and ongoing, people have to eat. Karl will explore what’s already changed about production agriculture and how it is sure to evolve in the future. None of us has a crystal ball, but we already see an industry in transformation.  

As the EVP and Chief Marketing Officer of BRANDT, Karl Barnhart leads the company’s corporate marketing efforts across the organization’s three global operating divisions.  A farm-boy from Pennsylvania , Karl moved to the Midwest in 2011 after 21 years in New York City. There, he held leadership positions in a number of strategic branding agencies, serving as partner and president of CoreBrand for the last several years. At CoreBrand, Karl was responsible for the company’s direction, client relationships and marketing while managing clients such as Cisco Systems, AT&T, Delphi Automotive, Ranger Boats, NASCAR, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, and MasterCard.

Karl has a B.S. in technical writing from Carnegie Mellon University. He and his wife Heather live in Leland Grove, Illinois.

Susan J. Koch is Chancellor of the Springfield campus of the University of Illinois, one of three campuses that collectively constitute Illinois’s leading and most comprehensive university. Chancellor Koch will discuss Higher Education in a Post Pandemic World.  She will consider the potential impact of the Covid 19 crisis upon admissions, curriculum, student life and other aspects of higher education.

As UIS Chancellor, Dr. Koch is the chief executive officer of the Springfield campus, one of the top-ranked regional public campuses in the Midwest. Koch also serves as a Vice President of the University of Illinois and is a member of the UI President’s Cabinet – assisting the President and Board of Trustees in guiding the overall operations of the University of Illinois system whose academic community includes more than 80,000 students and almost 25,000 employees.

Koch earned a bachelor’s degree with honors from Dakota State University in South Dakota and master’s and doctoral degrees in Community Health and Education from the University of Northern Iowa. She delivered the commencement address at South Dakota State in May of 2016 and was also presented an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree during the ceremony. Koch holds a tenured faculty position at UIS in the College of Education and Human Services.

Dr. Koch and her husband, Dennis, are the parents of four children and the grandparents of nine. Her husband is engaged in agribusiness and the Koch’s raise and show purebred Angus cattle.