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CHICAGO, November 2, 2025 - Attendees of this year’s Presidents Conference could be excused for scanning the skies in search of whatever spaceship might have delivered keynote speaker Dr. Pippa Malmgren. The world depicted by the noted global economist sounded little like the ball of confusion they know as planet Earth.
Consider the economic threat to the U.S. that many experts see in China’s ascendency. The picture looks much different to Malmgren.
“China's economy is proving a lot weaker than anyone had thought,” said the former economic advisor to President George W. Bush. “Mexico has emerged as the new China. This is very dramatic for the world economy, and particularly for the U.S.”
Similarly, she noted the growing economic might of another American neighbor, the Canadian province of Alberta.
Then there’s the shortage of affordable housing routinely cited by politicians and civic planners. Malmgren didn’t dispute those assessments, but she asserted that the solution is already in hand.
She recounted how three-dimensional printers are already producing whole communities in Texas where houses sell for half the price of a conventionally built structure. It’s only a matter of time until the price drops to $100,000 for a multibedroom home, and then to $50,000.
She also shared her contrarian view of President Trump’s protective tariffs.
“We now know that tariffs are being used primarily as leverage,” said Malmgren. “The White House position is, ‘Let’s make a deal.’”
She even tamped down fears that the world is poised for more wars.
“What’s coming are peace deals,” she said.
She explained that economic interests will prompt would-be and current combatants to pose alternative means to peace such as land swaps or pumping growth capital into one another’s industries.
Malmgren gave her often-contrarian but decidedly positive presentation on Day One of the three-day top-to-top conference. The theme of this year’s event is Clarity Among the Chaos.
The Presidents Conference is presented by IFMA The Food Away from Home association.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.
Cover image courtesy: Closed Loop Project