OWLS

Examine the U.S. trade and tariff policies with both a historical overview and an analysis of these policies on Ohio and the nation.  Learn about the U.S. trends in the reduction of tariffs since World War II; the history of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and what happened in China as it joined the World Trade Organization and the subsequent employment shock experienced by the U.S. Discussions will include the recent changes to protectionist policies by the Trump Administration. Hear from the head of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce on the effects of U.S. trade policy on Ohio's businesses of all sizes. Equally important to Ohio, find out how sensitive Ohio's agricultural sector is to international trade policy.  

Professor Stephen Hills (Emeritus Faculty, OSU Fisher College of Business) has taught import and export courses and has completed comparative studies of labor markets. He also co-authored and authored several books and studies on topics such as emerging markets in international business; employment and social sciences; and education and regional economic development in Shanghai. His past affiliations include: former president, International Division, Industrial Relations Research Association; and the Peace Corps (past volunteer to Venezuela; coordinator, Fisher College Peace Corps MBA program). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

Steve Stivers, CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce since 2021. He holds a degree in economics and international

relations and an MBA, both from The Ohio State University. He served as a senator in Ohio's General Assembly and represented Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 - 2021. Prior to his career in politics, he had significant business experience in Ohio. He was born and raised in Ripley, Ohio.

Dr. Ian Sheldon holds the Andersons Chair in Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy at The Ohio State University, being a member of the OSU faculty since 1990. He is an international scholar, having served as lecturer in economics at the University of Exeter and having earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Salford in the U.K. He has published widely in the fields of economics and agricultural economics with a focus on trade and policy issues.