The 39th Annual Economic Outlook Symposium will be held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 25, at Embassy Suites of Fayetteville. The symposium is presented by the Center for Entrepreneurship, part of the Methodist University Reeves School of Business.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Joel Naroff, president and founder of Naroff Economic Advisors, a strategic economic consulting firm. According to his website, naroffeconomics.com, he is a nationally recognized economic forecasting expert and has received numerous honors, including the National Association for Business Economics Outlook Award in 2007 and 2011. In 2008, he received both the Lawrence Klein Award as the top Blue Chip forecaster and the Bloomberg Business News’ top economic-forecaster award. He was MSNBC’s top forecaster in 2006.

Naroff received bachelor’s degrees in economics and chemistry from Stony Brook University and a doctorate in economics from Brown University. He was also a tenured professor in the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Each year, several awards are presented during the symposium. The Economics and Business Alumnus of the Year is awarded to a graduate of Methodist University who has shown promise for a successful career. Business Person of the Year is given to an executive who makes great contributions, not only to the successful operation of local business and industry, but also to the civic and cultural life of the community. The Greater Good Award goes to a professional who has shown kindness, charity, humanity, love and friendship to his/her associates. Entrepreneur of the Year is presented to a risk-taker in the free-enterprise system: a person who sees an opportunity and then devises strategies to achieve specific objectives.

Methodist University is an independent four-year institution of higher education with more than 2,400 students from 41 states and 53 countries. Methodist University offers more than 80 majors and concentrations, 100 clubs and organizations, four master’s degree programs and 19 NCAA III intercollegiate sports. All attendees must RSVP in advance by Oct. 10. Registration and sponsorship costs vary and include dinner at the event. For more information, or to RSVP, visit methodist.edu/cfe, email cfe@methodist.edu or call the CFE at 910.630.7642.

New Exhibit at McCune Art Gallery

A new exhibition, Exotic Encounters, is open at the David McCune International Art Gallery in the Bethune Center for Visual Arts at Methodist University. The show features paintings from the safaris of artist Paula Fitzpatrick, an active member of The Cape Fear Studios in Fayetteville.

The exhibit will run through Oct. 24 during regular gallery hours. This semester, the gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. There is no cost to visit the gallery.

For many years, Fitzpatrick has been painting African animals that she observed in private parks and public zoos, but in 2004 she visited Kenya and Tanzania to see the animals in their natural habitat. She took her art supplies with her, and returned with inspiring memories. From that trip, the works in Exotic Encounters were born.

“After returning home with visions of animal herds walking through my head as I slept, I began a new style of animal paintings,” she said. “The landscape played a more important part of the design than previously. As the collection grows the animals have become a smaller part of the artwork, with emphasis on portraying the place and emotion of the moment I am remembering.”

Wildlife has been the most prominent feature in Fitzpatrick’s artwork for many years. Her love of the outdoors and animals has promoted her active involvement with many non-profit and wildlife organizations.

“As I paint, I can still recall the air, smells and the excitement of being just feet away from a phenomenal creature that still invokes excitement,” Fitzpatrick said. “Emotion often dictates the manner in which portray I a specific subject. I want you to feel the tension, excitement and sheer joy as I still feel it.”

“I was thrilled to be asked to show my work in the new art museum at Methodist University,” she said. “I have participated in many exhibits over the years, but this will be my first solo museum exhibition. I met Professor Silvana Foti at Cape Fear Studios, where she became familiar with my work several years ago.”