Jesse W. Wright, a native of Marquette, has spent more than four decades working and living abroad in countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.  He began his career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development where he oversaw economic development projects in South Asia.  He subsequently worked for various international banks as a country risk specialist for analyzing and pricing less-developed-country syndicated debt.  He also worked on various African bad debt “workout” groups.  Later, Mr. Wright was a floor trader in stock options at the Pacific Stock Exchange and a Chicago-based broker/dealer trading bond and currency futures and options on futures. 

Mr. Wright retired from the Inter-American Development Bank, based in Washington, DC and has continued to consult with the IADB in Latin America.  With the IADB, Mr. Wright has worked on projects to develop money, bond and stock markets and advised governments on how to strengthen their banking systems.  In his time in Latin America, Mr. Wright has witnessed numerous financial bubbles, frauds and runs on banking systems.  Thus, on a reduced scale, he has seen again and again financial collapse similar to the near financial meltdown experienced in the United States and elsewhere in the fall and winter of 2008.

Mr. Wright completed his undergraduate studies in economics at Central Michigan University and received a doctorate in economics from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.  Mr. Wright is teaching economics at Northern Michigan University for the 2009-10 school year.