In this episode of ‘Manufacturing Think Tank’ host Cliff Waldman is joined by Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist of the National Association of Manufacturers. After discussing the path of U.S. inflation and the likelihood of a near-term U.S. recession, Chad discusses the recent manufacturing slump and the manufacturing industries that have been most impacted. The conversation then turns to the global picture with particular emphasis on growing concerns about the Chinese economy. The episode concludes with a discussion about changes in the post-pandemic manufacturing labor market and about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on manufacturing.
Episode 789: Manufacturing Think Tank August 2023
Cliff Waldman
Certified Business Economist and member of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE). Go beyond the mainstream media headlines with Cliff Waldman throughout his series on Manufacturing Talk Radio where he focuses on forces that are catalyzing rapid structural changes in the companies and sectors that comprise the dynamic manufacturing industry.

Dr. Chad Moutray
Chad Moutray is chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), where he serves as the NAM’s economic forecaster and spokesperson on economic issues. He frequently comments on current economic conditions for manufacturers through professional presentations and media interviews and has appeared on various new outlets, including CNBC. In addition, he is the director of the Center for Manufacturing Research at the Manufacturing Institute, the workforce arm of the NAM, where he leads efforts to produce thought leadership, data and analysis of relevance to business leaders in the sector.
Prior to joining the NAM, Dr. Moutray was the dean of the School of Business Administration at Robert Morris College in Chicago, Illinois (now part of Roosevelt University) from 1997 to 2002, and he served as the chief economist and director of economic research for the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) from 2002 to 2010.
Dr. Moutray is a former board member of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE). He is also the former president and chairman of the National Economists Club, the local NABE chapter for Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Eastern Illinois University. He is a Certified Business Economist™, where he was part of the initial graduating class in 2015.
