IU Business Outlook and Public Policy Panel to tour major Indiana cities in November

Oct. 29, 2001

EDITORS: A schedule of the panel's appearances is attached. For more information about any of the panel's presentations, please call the IU Office of Communications and Marketing. At many events, arrangements have been made for media who wish to cover the presentations.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- For nearly 30 years, Hoosiers around the state have turned to economists at Indiana University each November for their insights on the future of the state and national economies. In often uncertain times, they have provided useful guidance to citizens, policy makers and business people.

IU's Business Outlook Panel again will tour the state this fall, visiting 10 cities, beginning with a 7:30 a.m. presentation on Nov. 8 in Indianapolis, followed by a similar presentation later that day in Bloomington.

The Business Outlook Panel program was founded in 1972 as a service to bring current economic information to the state's business communities.

The panel will forecast economic conditions for the state and nation in the coming year, and will discuss current state economic development issues. It will feature faculty members from IU's Kelley School of Business and the IU Department of Economics, including panelists with varying perspectives on the national and state economies.

The presentations will feature faculty experts in economics and finance who will identify key topics of concern to decision-makers in Indiana, and discuss issues likely to be pertinent to the business and government sectors in 2002. The panelists have a proven track record for their ability to predict national, state and local economic trends.

This year's tour is sponsored by the IU School of Business, the IU Alumni Association, IU campuses and local chambers of commerce.

The starting point for the forecast is the Indiana Econometric Model, which combines state statistics and a national forecast to develop projections for the coming year. Regular panel presenters will be joined in most cities by an economist from that area who has prepared a forecast for the local economy.

Appearing with the panel this year will be Morton J. Marcus, executive director of the Indiana Business Research Center; Lawrence S. Davidson, professor of business economics and public policy; R. Jeffery Green, co-director, Indiana Center for Econometric Model Research; Andreas Hauskrecht, visiting assistant professor of business economics and public policy; Bruce L. Jaffee, Kelley School associate dean for academics; Robert Jennings, professor of finance; Robert S. Neal, associate professor of finance; William Sartoris, professor of finance; James C. Smith, director of the Indiana Business Research Center; and Willard Witte, associate professor of economics.

Joining the visiting panel for local presentations will be Don Coffin, IU Northwest; Dagney Faulk, IU Southeast; Thomas L. Guthrie, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW); Gary Lynch, IU Northwest; Kathy Parkison, IU Kokomo; Thayr Richey of the Strategic Development Group in Bloomington; Barry Ritchey, Anderson University; Ashton Veramallay, IU East; and Mike Zimmer, University of Evansville.

For more information about any of the presentations, contact the local sponsoring organization or the IU School of Business Alumni Office at 812-855-6340.

2001 BUSINESS OUTLOOK PANEL TOUR SCHEDULE
NOTE: Local sponsors and their phone numbers are listed in parentheses.