Area business leaders and the community are invited to attend the IU Business Outlook Forum from 7:30-9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15, at Indiana University East in Whitewater Hall. The IU Business Outlook Forum is presented by the IU East Alumni Association and the IU East School of Business and Economics.

Litao Zhong

The event will begin with a networking breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the lobby followed by the program at 8 a.m. in Vivian Auditorium. A public question-and-answer session will follow.

Since 1972, the Kelley School of Business has presented its national, state and local forecasts through a series of presentations in cities throughout Indiana. For more than 90 years, the Indiana Business Research Center has provided crucial economic information needed by many Indiana businesses, governmental units and nonprofit organizations.

The starting point for the annual forecast is an econometric model of the United States, developed by IU’s Center for Econometric Model Research, involving hundreds of statistical equations to develop a national forecast for the coming year.

Robert Mulligan

A similar econometric model of Indiana provides a corresponding forecast for the state and metro-area economies, based on the national forecast and data specific to Indiana. The Business Outlook Panel then adjusts the forecasts to reflect additional insights the panelists have on the economic situation.

At each presentation, the panel features faculty members from the Kelley School and IU, plus local panelists from other IU campuses and other universities, offering perspectives on the global, national, state and local economies and financial markets.

This year’s panel includes:

• Robert Mulligan, IU East Dean of the School of Business and Economics (Moderator)
• Robert Neal, Professor of Finance at the IU Kelley School of Business
• Timothy Slaper, Director of Economic Analysis at the Indiana Business Research Center
• Bill Witte, Associate Professor Emeritus of Economics and Co-Director of the Center for Econometric Model Research
• Litao Zhong, Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance; Director of the Business and Economic Research Center at IU East

Reservations to attend the event are online at iuoutlook.eventbrite.com. The cost is $15 per person and includes breakfast. Event proceeds benefit the IU East Alumni Association Scholarship Fund and will assist students in the School of Business and Economics.

For more information, contact Terry Wiesehan, director of Alumni Relations and Campus Events, at (765) 973-8221 or twiesaha@iue.edu.