Futurecast: Bloomington | 2026 Economic Outlook

In collaboration with the Bloomington Rotary Club, Futurecast: Bloomington gathered a panel of economic experts from IU’s Kelley School of Business, and local leaders on Tuesday, November 4th at Ivy Tech Community College's Shreve Hall. This panel of experts imparted valuable insights, offering attendees a comprehensive forecast of the economic outlook for the coming year at federal, state, county, and city levels. 
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The Kelley School of Business, based on research from its Indiana Business Research Center, has been sharing its economic forecasts throughout the state of Indiana for the past 50 years, which has provided crucial economic information needed by many Indiana businesses, government, and nonprofit organizations. This event gave the audience a chance to hear and interact with several of the state's leading economic thinkers as they discuss how the changing economic environment will affect the local region, Indiana, and the nation in the coming year.​

The panelists provided insights into key economic indicators such as GDP growth, inflation, interest rates, employment, and industry trends. Panelists evaluate the overall business environment and consider the factors that may shape the economy and financial markets over the next year.
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The Bloomington event had five panelists and one moderator.

Covering "Financial Markets" was Dr. Andreas Hauskrecht, Clinical Professor of Business Economics at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. Dr. Hauskrecht received a Master’s in Political Science, a Master’s in Economics, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Freie Universitat Berlin. Dr. Hauskrecht's areas of expertise are in International Economics and Finance, Money, and Banking.
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Discussing "Indiana" is Carol Rogers - Director of Indiana Business Research Center. As director of the Indiana Business Research Center, Rogers is helping the IBRC move into its second century of service to Indiana, which since 1925 the center has persistently and imaginatively studied the economy and people of the state, sharing its insights and data in ways that can be used in people’s everyday work or their grand strategies.  IBRC’s many publications and websites have tens of thousands of users and have won both accolades and awards.

Covering "US/International" is Andrew Butters, Associate Professor of Business Economics & Public Policy at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. Andrew Butters is an Associate Professor in the Business Economics & Public Policy department at the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in Managerial Economics and Strategy from Northwestern University.
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Discussing "Bloomington" is Dr. Phil Powell, Executive Director of the Indiana Business Research Center and Clinical Professor of Business Economics & Public Policy at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. Dr. Powell is Executive Director of the Indiana Business Research Center and a Clinical Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from Vanderbilt University and B.A. in economics from the University of South Carolina.

We also heard from Ivy Tech Community College, Bloomington's Vice Chancellor of Ivy+ Career Link, Adam Gross. Adam Gross is the Vice Chancellor for Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, where he leads workforce development initiatives across an eight-county region, including Monroe County. With 15 years of service at Ivy Tech, Adam has held various roles across campus and now leads a team focused on strengthening the regional talent pipeline. His efforts include supporting career coaching, upskilling the current workforce, and fostering connections between local industries, Ivy Tech students, alumni, and the broader workforce. Adam is committed to helping businesses access skilled talent to meet their evolving needs. He earned his undergraduate degree from Trine University in Angola, Indiana, and holds an MBA from Western Governors University.

Moderating this discussion will be Dr. Josh Perry, Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Corporate Relations at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. Dr. Perry is Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Corporate Relations and Conrad Prebys Professor at the Kelley School of Business. He previously served as Associate Dean of Academics, chair of the Department of Business Law and Ethics, and faculty chair of the Undergraduate Program. He earned his law degree and master’s degree in theological studies with a concentration in ethics from Vanderbilt University, where he previously served as a clinical ethicist in the hospital and a faculty member in the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society teaching interdisciplinary courses for the Law School, Medical School, and College of Arts and Sciences.  

For more information on the economic forecast, visit Indiana Business Research Center's website at: https://www.ibrc.indiana.edu/outlook/index.asp