PROVIDENCE, R.I. – R.I. Office of Revenue Analysis Chief Paul L. Dion will take part Wednesday, May 27 in the Zoom series "Pandemic Economics: What does it mean for Rhode Island?" hosted jointly by Bryant University and the Rhode Island Foundation.

The panel discussions with leaders and policy makers intend to help Rhode Islanders understand the economic impact of COVID-19 and how the state can move forward toward recovery and growth for all.

Topics for this series of panel discussions include: what public, private, non-profit, and higher education leaders can do to help ensure a strong recovery; lessons from the 2008-09 recession that can be leveraged to avoid lagging regional and national recovery; state and local revenues, budgets, spending and the effect on the economy; what shape the recovery will take; how long it will take for businesses to reopen and to start to recover jobs; which sectors will/could lead the recovery and which sectors will take a long(er) time to recover.

Tomorrow's panel, the second in the series, will focus on public finances. It begins at 10 a.m. Dion will join:

• Jeffrey Thompson, Economist and Vice President, New England Public Policy Center, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, • Michael DiBiase, President and CEO, Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council • Garry Sasse, Director, Bryant University Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership

Th series concludes Monday, June 8.

More about Paul L. Dion:

Dion is the Chief of the Office of Revenue Analysis in the Rhode Island Department of Revenue. He was originally appointed to a five-year term as Chief on March 23, 2008 and has since been reappointed to two additional five-year terms.

The Office of Revenue Analysis is responsible for the analysis, evaluation, and appraisal of the state's tax system, makes recommendations for its revision in the best interests of the state's economy, and evaluates tax incentives via cost-benefit analysis. The Office of Revenue Analysis has a staff of five economists.

Prior to his current position, Paul worked in CVS' pharmacy benefits management division as the Director of Plan Analytics. From 2001 to 2006, he was the State of Rhode Island Budget Office's economist where he was responsible for revenue forecasting and fiscal impact analyses.

Mr. Dion is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston–New England Public Policy Center's Advisory Board, the state's Council of Economic Advisors, the Rhode Island Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation, the North Kingstown Planning Commission, and an elected member of the Board of the Employees Retirement System of Rhode Island. He is also an active participant at the annual Federation of Tax Administrators' Revenue Estimation and Tax Research Conference.

Paul earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Washington State University and his B.A. degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Rhode Island. In addition, he received a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Finance from Bryant University.

Paul resides in North Kingstown with his wife and his two children. ###