09/18/2025

USAEE/IAEE Conference | Panel Spotlight: Cross-Industry Perspective on Energy Outlook with Cryan, Fu, Simonson & Smoke

USAEE/IAEE Conference:
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Featured Panel: Cross Industry Perspective
on the Energy Outlook 

Roger Cryan	Dong Fu	Ken Simonson	Jonathan Smoke	Dean Foreman

Join us for the 2025 USAEE/IAEE North American Conference in Fort Worth in November: Register now and save! This year’s agenda emphasizes a strong cross-industry, macroeconomic orientation and features top-tier voices on organizational leadership, career growth, AI, critical trade issues, and more. Book your place by October 16 to avoid late registration fees!

42nd USAEE/IAEE North American Conference
Sunday, November 16 through Wednesday, November 19
Fort Worth, Texas
The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel

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The first full day of the conference will bring a featured panel, a "Cross-Industry Perspective on the Energy Outlook," with a quintet of leading economists:

• Award-winning agriculture economist Roger Cryan
• Dong Fu, Senior Economist, Strategic Planning at Exxon Mobil Corporation
• Ken Simonson, Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America
• Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist & Economic Advisor at Cox Automotive
• Moderator Dean Foreman, Chief Economist for the Texas Oil & Gas Association and 2025 USAEE President

Once you've registered for the conference, don't forget to book your room at The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel at USAEE's discounted group rate.

In addition to a dynamic speaker line-up, conference highlights include:

• High impact networking and career development opportunities
• Special events — including a reception at the world-famous Joe T. Garcia's
• Concurrent sessions featuring well over 100 research papers from academia and industry
• USAEE's traditional robust student offerings

Don't miss out on this must-attend event for anyone serious about staying ahead in their field — be sure to register today if you have not already done so to avoid late registration increases!

Cross-Industry Perspective on the Energy Outlook
Energy markets don’t operate in isolation—they ripple through every sector of the economy. This dynamic plenary brings together leading economists from agriculture, construction, automotive, manufacturing, and energy to offer a 360-degree view of how energy trends are shaping their industries today and what lies ahead. From the impact of fuel and input costs on food production, to the energy intensity of commercial and residential construction, to shifting mobility and vehicle demand, the conversation will explore how macroeconomic forces and energy transitions are playing out in real-world sectors. The panel will also address key questions around capital investment, supply chain resilience, inflation, labor constraints, and technological adoption—all through the lens of energy.

If you want a more integrated understanding of where energy demand, prices, and policy may be headed, and how they intersect with core pillars of the economy, this session will deliver essential insights.

Roger Cryan was the Chief Economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation from 2021 until earlier this year, serving as the leading economic advocate for American farmers. Before joining Farm Bureau, Dr. Cryan served as the Director of the Economics Division for the Dairy Program in USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, where he directed an award-winning market information and analysis team. MORE

Dong Fu serves as Senior Economist in Corporate Strategic Planning at the Exxon Mobil Corporation. Previously, he worked in the Economic Research Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, as well as the public and private sectors in China. In his current capacity, Dong advises the senior management of the corporation on economic, financial, and policy-related issues. MORE

Ken Simonson has been Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, the leading construction trade association, since 2001. He provides insight into the economy and what it implies for construction and related industries through frequent media interviews, presentations, and the Data DIGest, his weekly one-page e-newsletter that goes to more than 20,000 subscribers. Ken has over 40 years of experience analyzing, advocating, and communicating about economic and tax issues.  MORE

Jonathan Smoke is Chief Economist & Economic Advisor for Cox Automotive. As a senior vice president, Smoke leads the organization’s effort to track and forecast key aspects of the economic environment in which Cox companies compete, including macro-economic trends, regional market variation, consumer segments and buying power, housing, and transportation. In addition to being a key advisor to the Cox Communications and Cox Enterprises executive teams, Smoke serves as the Chief Economist for Cox Automotive and is a member of the automotive leadership team. MORE

As chief economist for the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA), Dean Foreman brings over two decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, including global and domestic policy analysis, finance and risk management, business planning, forecasting, and market analysis, all grounded by his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Florida. His career also includes progressive roles at the American Petroleum Institute, ExxonMobil, Talisman Energy, and Saudi Aramco, where he spearheaded initiatives crucial to industry planning, regulatory influence, and supporting multibillion-dollar investments. MORE

Now is also the perfect time to join us as a conference or association sponsor! Provide vital support for USAEE's mission and enjoy a range of benefits that enhance visibility and impact both at the conference and year-round!