Western Blue Chip Panelists

Mark Vitner is a Managing Director and Senior Economist at Wells Fargo, responsible for tracking U.S. and regional economic trends.

Based in Charlotte, N.C., he also writes for the company’s Monthly Economic Outlook report, the Weekly Economic & Financial Commentary, and provides regular updates on the housing markets, commercial real estate, regional economies, and inflation.

Mr. Vitner joined Wachovia (then First Union) in 1993. Before that, he spent nine years as an Economist for Barnett Banks in Jacksonville, Florida. His commentary has featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and many other publications.

He is a member of the National Association of Business Economists and co‐founded its Charlotte chapter, The Charlotte Economics Club. Mr. Vitner serves as a distinguished lecturer and practitioner at the University of Georgia. He is also a member of the American Economic Association, the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, and the Charlotte Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth.

Mr. Vitner currently chairs the economic advisory committee for the Bond Dealers of America. In addition, he serves as the Chief Economist for the North Carolina CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member). He is a member of the Blue Chip Economic forecasting panel, and was named one of the 2009 North Carolina Power Players, 50 most powerful people in business, by Business Leader magazine.

Mr. Vitner earned his B.B.A. in Economics from the University of Georgia, an M.B.A. from the University of North Florida, and has completed further graduate work in economics at the University of Florida. He also completed the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) Advanced Training in Economics program at Carnegie Mellon University.