Southwest Economy Podcast

Dallas Fed

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas senior economist Pia Orrenius explores new and noteworthy trends and developments affecting Texas, northern Louisiana and southern New Mexico. Topics are drawn from Southwest Economy, the Dallas Fed's regional quarterly.

  1. APR 1

    Upward mobility thwarted if you don't win the economy's lottery

    Gary Hoover, author of Ladder or Lottery: Economic Promises and the Reality of Who Gets Ahead, discusses with Dallas Fed economist Pia Orrenius why some people who follow the rules for getting ahead instead fall behind.

    35 min

  2. FEB 26

    Construction outlook builds on data centers, power infrastructure

    Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America, discusses the outlook for construction activity amid many challenges including immigration enforcement and tariffs.

    25 min

  3. 11/25/2025

    Can Texas muster the power to keep the lights on?

    Jim Burke, the CEO of Texas-based electricity provider Vistra, discusses the challenges of serving the state and U.S. markets at a time of expanding power demand from data centers and residential users. The Dallas Fed's Pia Orrenius and Garrett Golding explore with Burke what will be needed to keep up.

    46 min

  4. 11/06/2025

    Hammering home why a U.S. housing shortage persists

    Cullum Clark, director of the Bush Institute–SMU Economic Growth Initiative and an adjunct economics professor at Southern Methodist University, discusses his recent report, "Build Homes, Expand Opportunity; Lessons from America's Fastest-Growing Cities" with the Dallas Fed's Pia Orrenius.

    42 min

  5. 09/22/2025

    Lessons learned from Texas' for-profit teacher certification

    Texas is a leader in accepting credentials from for-profit teacher certification providers. Dallas Fed economist Christa Deneault's research examines how the Texas program stacks up with credentials earned through more conventional means. She discusses her findings with the Dallas Fed's Pia Orrenius.

    18 min

  6. 08/26/2025

    Austin doc seeks cures for U.S. health care's ills

    Garheng Kong, a physician by training, founded Austin-based  private equity firm HealthQuest Capital more than a decade ago. He reflects on how changing attitudes and technology, including AI, are changing U.S. health care.

    25 min

  7. 05/29/2025

    Build it and they will come … eventually

    Jerry Pacheco, president of the Border Industrial Association in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, has been a guiding force behind the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, an alternative to the busy El Paso crossing nearby. He tells Dallas Fed economists Pia Orrenius and Isabel Brizuela how 12 miles of dirt highway eventually led to the bustling Santa Teresa commercial hub.

    18 min

  8. 05/06/2025

    Waco rides 'Fixer Upper'-driven wave of notoriety, economic growth

    Former Waco Mayor Malcolm Duncan describes the impact of the Fixer Upper phenomenon—and his early skepticism about the HGTV show's potential to raise the city's profile. Duncan and Dallas Fed economist Emily Kerr also discuss benefits reaped from Baylor University's growth and challenges faced in building a commercial hub squarely between Dallas–Fort Worth and Austin.

    19 min
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About

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas senior economist Pia Orrenius explores new and noteworthy trends and developments affecting Texas, northern Louisiana and southern New Mexico. Topics are drawn from Southwest Economy, the Dallas Fed's regional quarterly.

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