It’s a wild economic world we live in today, with uncertainty about interest rates, tariffs, and federal claw backs giving all of us pause, but one thing remains consistent, and that’s the importance of attracting and retaining good employees. 

I think economist Steve Scranton summed it up best this year: “If times are good for you, keep doing what you are doing, but remain alert and prepared.” 
My reading of a collection of articles for this supplement, written by local economists, cemented what most of us are already thinking, that the questions we had going into 2023 remain unanswered for 2024. But here’s the punchline: Fears of a full recession seem to have minimized, meaning a soft landing in 2024 is still very possible.