Stephen Moore, chief economist for the Heritage Foundation and a Fox News contributor, is the keynote speaker for the 17th Annual Economic Growth Summit, set for 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Crown Reef Conference Center in Myrtle Beach. South Carolina banker Fred Green III and economist Robert Salvino will also speak at the event, sponsored by the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration at Coastal Carolina University, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Horry County.

The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution geared toward formulating and promoting conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense.

Prior to being the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, Moore wrote about the economy and public policy for The Wall Street Journal and was also a member of the paper's editorial board. He also created the Club for Growth, founded the Free Enterprise Fund and is a contributor to Fox News. Moore received a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master's degree in economics from George Mason University.

Green, president and CEO of the South Carolina Bankers Association, will be the guest speaker for the summit. He has served in a variety of executive roles in banking, such as chief operating officer and president of Synovus Financial Corp. and president and CEO of the National Bank of South Carolina (NSBC). He has served on many boards such as the University of South Carolina and Medical University of South Carolina Board of Visitors. In 1999, Green was honored as the University of South Carolina's Distinguished Young Alumnus from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, and in 1994, he was named Outstanding Young Banker by the South Carolina Bankers Association. Green earned a bachelor's degree in finance and an MBA from the University of South Carolina.

Salvino, CCU's research economist, will also provide an economic outlook for the Grand Strand area. Salvino, associate professor of economics, joined the CCU faculty in 2007. He earned a bachelor's degree in geology from Marshall University in 1997, as well as a master's degree and a Ph.D. in economics from Georgia State University in 2004 and 2007, respectively. ??Previously, he was a research associate at the Fiscal Research Center in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. He has served as a financial research consultant for the CThree Group in Atlanta. Salvino also taught economics at Georgia Military College.

The summit is $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $500 for a corporate table of eight; we will only accept cash or check at the door on the day of the event. Registration and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. To register, visit coastal.edu/growthsummit. The deadline for advance registration is Tuesday, Oct. 1, at noon.

All proceeds from the Growth Summit will benefit the Wall College's Center for Economic and Community Development, a research and information center for economic data for the region that serves as a bridge between the university and community.

For more information, contact Wendi Lee at wlee@coastal.edu or 843-349-2284.