Meet the MCA Summer Meeting Expert Speakers
You’re doing business in a fast-changing economic and political landscape. The MCA Summer Meeting can help you get up to date, navigate new challenges, and create strategies for success.
Keynote speaker Chris Kuehl and 2025 MCA Market Study Presenter Paul Trombitas are economic experts who specialize in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data to help guide corporations. At the MCA Summer Meeting, they’ll delve into the complexities of today's environment, exploring impacts on businesses so you can determine how to adapt and thrive.
With rapid shifts in policies and regulations, it's crucial to stay informed and prepared. Our experts will provide valuable perspectives and practical advice. Don't miss this opportunity to gain knowledge and tools for making informed decisions in uncertain times.
Meet the speakers and learn more about their discussions below.
Keynote Speaker Chris Kuehl
8:15 - 9:30 am Tuesday, June 10
We are thrilled to welcome back Chris Kuehl as our keynote speaker. Chief economist at Armada Corporate Intelligence, Chris has previously spoken at MCA events and was highly praised for how much relevant and important information he delivered, breaking down complex economic concepts into actionable insights.
In his MCA Summer Meeting keynote, Chris will provide up-to-the-minute insights into the rapidly changing economic and business environment so that you can understand trends, challenges, risks, strategies, and opportunities to stay ahead of the curve.
Key discussion topics include:
- Tariffs’ impact on metal producers and manufacturers
- Supply chain issues
- Labor trends amid U.S. deportations
- Reshoring and tax incentives for reshoring
- Outlooks for key industries that use primary metals
Chris Kuehl, PhD, is the managing partner and cofounder of Armada. Over the past 21 years, he has worked with a wide variety of private clients and professional associations, providing strategic guidance and economic insights. He is chief economist for several national business associations and the economic analyst for the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association. Chris is one of the chief editors for the Armada Flagship Brief, which reaches several thousand business executives three times a week. He makes approximately 100 presentations each year to business and industry associations in the U.S. and overseas.
Chris holds a doctorate in political economics and advanced degrees in Soviet studies and Asian studies. Before starting Armada, he was a professor of international economics and finance for over 15 years.
2025 MCA Market Study Presenter Paul Trombitas
11 am - 12:15 pm Tuesday, June 10
Get the first look at the MCA-exclusive data the comprises the 2025 MCA Market Study! Paul Trombitas—who leads the building products sector team at consulting firm/investment bank FMI—will discuss insights his firm discovered while analyzing new data for this year’s report.
Get insight to help guide business decisions and navigate challenges. Paul will discuss highlights like:
- How metal is performing against competitive materials
- Key trends and drivers for metal construction
- Regions experiencing growth
- Projects forecast for expansion
- Sectors expecting flat or decreased sales
Paul will guide you through interpreting key takeaways from this year’s report before it’s available free to MCA member companies. His longtime involvement in developing this annual report makes Paul the ideal person to explain the results and answer questions about changes across the industry and across the years.
Paul is a partner in FMI’s strategy practice and leads the building products sector team. He brings a deep understanding of the construction industry to stakeholders in the building products space to help them make data-driven decisions to position their organizations for success. He is responsible for FMI’s Building Products Market Overview and has published extensively on trends across building products. Paul holds a master of business administration degree and a bachelor of science degree in economics from East Carolina University.