Dr. Mike Walden is a nationally recognized economist and William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University. He spent 43 years on the NC State faculty, where his work focused on consumer economics, economic outlook and public policy.

Dr. Walden earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University and has authored more than 300 articles and reports and 12 books, including North Carolina Beyond the Connected Age: The Tar Heel State in 2050. He has served as an economic advisor to state and local leaders and has been a frequent voice in North Carolina media for more than four decades.

A recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Public Service and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Dr. Walden is known for making complicated economic issues understandable and relevant to everyday life. He continues to provide economic analysis and forecasts through his writing, speaking and consulting.