From hardware store to covering the national economy

Trevor Anderson of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in South Carolina writes Sunday about Neil Irwin, who covers the U.S. economy for the Washington Post.

Anderson writes, “Irwin is one of only a handful of journalists in the country who is granted access to the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

“He has become a regular on national television networks, providing insight and commentary for programs on MSNBC, C-SPAN and CNBC.

“‘I talk to a lot of smart people and use my knowledge and experience to explain it to people,’ Irwin said. ‘Working in my dad’s shop helped me understand how these big economic issues affect average citizens.’

“The son of Co and Nancy Irwin, owners of Irwin Ace Hardware off Fernwood Drive, Irwin became interested in journalism at a young age.”

Read more here.