Ellen Rissman, the assistant vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, will be the keynote speaker at the second annual QCBJ Mid-Year Economic Review scheduled for Thursday, June 22.
The luncheon program, which also will feature a panel of local business leaders, will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel, Rock Island.
The event, launched in 2022 by the QCBJ, examines how the national and local economy have changed in the past six months while looking ahead to the last half of the year.
“Business owners are always thirsty for insight into where the economy is headed. The goal is to get speakers and panelists in leading indicator industries to help shed some light on the challenges and opportunities they see in their respective industries,” said John F. Lohman, CEO and president of the Corridor Media Group, which publishes the QCBJ.
He added: “We are particularly excited to have a speaker from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank. She will be able to share some insight into inflation, interest rates and some of the recent challenges in the banking industry.”
The 2023 Mid-Year Economic Review will lead off with the keynote address by Ms. Rissman, who closely follows national and regional developments in government spending and revenues. As assistant vice president of business cycle analysis and communications in the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank’s economic research department, she provides policy analysis and communications support to the present and other senior executives.
Her primary research interests include self-employment and entrepreneurship, structural change in the labor market, and wage dynamics.
Ms. Rissman’s research has been published in the Journal of Monetary Economics and the Journal of Labor Economics as well as in the Chicago Fed’s research periodicals, Economic Perspectives and Chicago Fed Letter.
With a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a masters and doctorate in economics from Northwestern University, she joined the Chicago Fed in 1985 as a research economist. Ms. Rissman also is currently an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies.
In addition to Ms. Rissman, the Mid-Year Economic Review will include a panel of Quad Cities leaders discussing the economy and the impact on their own industries.
The panel will be moderated by Steve Sorensen, the owner of Strategy in Progress, LLC. He brings nearly 35 years of consulting experience working with businesses and nonprofit organizations. The panel includes:
- Delia Moon Meier, president, Iowa 80 Group.
- Jennifer Bennett, president, Shive-Hattery.
- Dave Herrell, president and CEO, Visit Quad Cities.
- Jake O’Rourke, chief operating officer & EVP, O’Rourke Sales Company.
- Robert Erickson, CEO, UnityPoint Health — Trinity.
The event is hosted by the QCBJ with support from our sponsors: Platinum Sponsor, First Central State Bank, an Ohnward Bancshares Bank; Silver Sponsor, Iowa Association of Business & Industry (ABI) and Bronze Sponsor, Shive-Hattery. For information about sponsorships, contact Dayle Hall at (563) 345-7225 or [email protected].
Registration for the luncheon is $65 per person, $480 for a table of eight. To register, visit here.
For information on the event, contact Jenni Hatz at (563) 345-7225 or [email protected].
