After recently retiring from his decades-long career as a renowned economic tracker for Wells Fargo & Co.,Vitner — who started his career at Barnett Bank in Jacksonville, and has long kept an eye on the region —
. His tenure at the San Francisco-based bank included commentaries that were nationally picked up and encompassed a full economic breakdown.Last December, Vitner launched— a local boutique advisory firm that provides economic consulting services to a wide range of businesses, trade groups and municipalities in the local and outside region. Becoming a business owner was a longtime ambition for Vitner, and he finally found the right time to make it happen.
Vitner, who lives in the Charlotte area, doesn't envision operating the economics firm on a scale such as Wells Fargo, but he hopes to have a handful of recurring clients to provide them with the resources they need for optimal decision-making. As chief economist at Piedmont, Vitner will regularly publish reports on economic indicators, real estate and regional economic conditions.
While still not completely retired from the workforce, Vitner has enjoyed the greater flexibility and freedom he's gained from leaving a large corporation. That includes more time with family, diving into new hobbies and traveling, among other endeavors.about what's in store for his new business, his transition from corporate economist to entrepreneur and his life post-retirement. His answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
It's been just over four months following your retirement in September. How have you spent that time off?every day, so I still read theI never really turned off my analysis of the economy. I didn't take that much of a break. But I have spent a little bit more time in the gym and hiking and skiing. So I have been enjoying a little bit more leisure time, which is something that I really wanted to do.