Andrea Grenadier, Shawn Phillips, Javier Silva, and Ellen Simon

New York Fed President John C. Williams traveled to the U.S. Virgin Islands last month to hear from government officials, students, business owners, and nonprofit and community leaders about economic conditions in the territory. The U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S.V.I.) are part of the Federal Reserve’s Second District, which also encompasses New York State, northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and Puerto Rico.

Shawn Phillips, Andrea Grenadier, Javier Silva, and Ellen Simon

On March 31, New York Fed President John C. Williams traveled to Fairfield County, Connecticut, to hear from local stakeholders about economic conditions in the region. Fairfield County is part of the Federal Reserve’s Second District, which also encompasses New York State, Northern New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. During the daylong visit, President Williams met with government officials, students, business owners, job seekers, and nonprofit and community leaders. Here are the key themes that emerged in these meetings and discussions:

Tony Davis, Javier Silva, and Mariah Measey

In October, New York Fed President John Williams traveled to Buffalo to hear from local stakeholders about economic conditions in western New York as the region emerges from the pandemic. During the two-day visit, he met with government officials, business leaders, higher education representatives, and nonprofit and community leaders. Here are key themes that emerged in these meetings and discussions.

Tony Davis and Javier Silva, Communications and Outreach

In July, New York Fed President John Williams traveled to western Puerto Rico to meet with community development and small business leaders, higher education officials, and aerospace industry representatives. The visit to west coast capped off a two-day trip to the island, part of a broader effort by the New York Fed to gain a deeper understanding of regional economic conditions in the Federal Reserve’s Second District. In the second part of this two-part series, we discuss what we learned on our visit.

Tony Davis and Javier Silva, Communications and Outreach

In July, New York Fed President John Williams traveled to Puerto Rico to meet with local nonprofit and community leaders, government officials, and business and higher education representatives, with the aim of understanding economic conditions as the island emerges from the pandemic and continues on the road to recovery from major hurricanes. In this two-part series, we will share what we learned on our visit. Today’s post centers on takeaways from engagements in the San Juan metropolitan area, and tomorrow’s post will focus on the island’s west coast.

Javier Silva, Senior Associate Director for Community Engagement, and Betsy Bourassa, Corporate Communications Associate, Communications and Outreach

In his final regional visit of 2019, President Williams traveled to Asbury Park, Trenton, and Newark, New Jersey, where he met with community and business leaders, local elected officials, and statewide agency heads. New Jersey is the nation’s most urban and densely populated state, and is among its most wealthy and diverse — factors that loomed large during the daylong visit. Topics of discussion included housing affordability, the intersection between workforce development and higher education, the significance of anchor institutions, and strategies for addressing gentrification.

Javier Silva, Senior Associate Director for Community Engagement, and Brian Manning, Corporate Communications Senior Associate, Communications and Outreach

In early July, New York Fed President John Williams visited the Hudson Valley and Albany, where he met with stakeholders to learn about local economic conditions. Key issues in the region include workforce development, changing demographics, concerns about equitable growth, and a lack of affordable housing and public transportation. Communities visited during the two-day trip included Yonkers, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Claverack, and Albany. The trip was President Williams’s third regional visit of the year.

Javier Silva, Senior Associate Director for Community Engagement, and Betsy Bourassa, Corporate Communications Associate, Communications and Outreach

Ahead of New York Fed President Williams’ regional visit to Albany and the Hudson Valley tomorrow, we’re looking back at his last one in May. For that visit — his second of 2019 — he met with community, business, and government leaders throughout Manhattan to hear their views on local economic conditions. Issues around education, affordable housing, gentrification, small businesses, and transportation featured prominently in the day’s discussions.

Javier Silva, Associate Director for Community Engagement, and Brian Manning, Corporate Communications Senior Associate, Communications and Outreach

New York Fed President John C. Williams visited Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in late March, where he met with elected officials and community and business leaders to gain a deeper understanding of current economic conditions and the continuing recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The hurricanes battered the region in quick succession in late 2017, and the islands still have a long road to recovery. This was President Williams’ first regional visit of the year, and topics in focus included ongoing hurricane recovery efforts, collaboration among organizations, a burgeoning entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem, and the numerous challenges small businesses face.