NEW YORK—Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John C. Williams will visit Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) on March 28 and 29 to meet with leaders in the local nonprofit, government, and business sectors. The trip will focus on understanding current economic conditions and the continuing recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
On the morning of March 28, President Williams will meet with elected officials to discuss the island’s rebuilding efforts. From there he will travel to Loíza, where he will visit Centro TAU, a youth-focused community center.
Later, President Williams will have lunch with members of the Puerto Rico Bankers Association and George Joyner, the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, to discuss regional economic developments and conditions in the banking sector.
In the afternoon, he will participate in a moderated discussion with Kenneth Rivera-Robles, President of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, where he will share insights about the economy and answer questions from local business, nonprofit, and higher education communities. Upon the conclusion of this program, President Williams will be available for questions from members of the media.
Next, President Williams will head to Parallel18, where he will take part in a roundtable discussion focused on small business and entrepreneurship.
On March 29, President Williams will meet with the newly elected USVI Governor, Albert J. Bryan, Jr., to hear about his agenda and economic plan for the Territory. He will then travel to My Brother’s Workshop, a center for at-risk youth in St. Thomas, where he will discuss workforce development.
Later in the morning, he will meet with Jacqueline J. Heyliger, the FEMA director for the Caribbean Area, and David Hall, President of the University of the Virgin Islands, for an update on disaster recovery efforts. His last engagement will be a lunch meeting with the USVI Business Community to talk about the health of the small business and tourism sectors 18 months after the hurricanes.
Open Press Events:
Moderated Discussion
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2019
Time: 1:15 pm AST (local time)/1:15 pm EDT
Location: Centro Europa
1492 Avenida Juan Ponce de León
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Small Business and Entrepreneur Roundtable
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2019
Time: 2:30 pm AST (local time)/2:30 pm EDT
Location: Parallel18
1250 Avenida Juan Ponce de León
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
My Brother’s Workshop Site Visit
Date: Friday, March 29, 2019
Time: 9:25 am AST (local time)/9:25 am EDT
Location: My Brother’s Workshop
26A, Tutu Park Mall, St. Thomas, USVI
Audience Q&A and media availability are expected at the Moderated Discussion in Puerto Rico; text is not expected. Members of the media who wish to attend any of the three open press events must register by contacting Brian Manning at brian.manning@ny.frb.org.
