The Long Island Association has named Steve Kent as the new chief economist of the LIA Research Institute.
The organization announced the decision on Monday, March 17. Kent will provide critical economic and demographic insights to the regional business community and in-depth analyses on issues impacting Long Island’s growth and development, as well as help inform policymakers and stakeholders about how indicators and trends are impacting the business climate and sustainability in the region, according to the LIA.
“As a lifelong resident of Long Island, I am thrilled to apply my knowledge and analytical skills to aid the LIA in continuing its quest to ensure our region’s economic vitality,” Kent said in a statement.
Kent earned a Ph.D. in hospitality management from Iowa State University, an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a bachelor of arts in economics from Stony Brook University. He is also a chartered financial analyst. Kent said on LinkedIn that taking ECO 101 as a college freshman changed his career trajectory.
Kent currently works for Brewster Bay Advisors and is an economics and finance associate professor at Molloy University as well. He spent most of his career at Goldman Sachs & Co., where he advised IPO issuers on value identification, Wall Street positioning, and exit strategy development and initiated coverage on 180+ companies engaged in global corporate finance activities. Kent was recognized eight times as “best stock picker” by The Wall Street Journal.
“The LIA will be well-served by his extensive private sector experience and the valuable data and analyses he will provide to our members at this pivotal inflection point for the future of Long Island and, indeed the entire country as we navigate uncertain economic conditions and the existential crisis of affordability,” LIA President & CEO Matt Cohen said.
And Kent said he wants to help others in the private sector thrive.
“I look forward to working with LIA business members to support the prosperity of their companies in our region by providing real-time economic information that will allow them to properly forecast for operational success and growth,” he said.
