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Economic Insight: A Conversation with Austan Goolsbee, President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

 The decisions made at the Federal Reserve ripple through every boardroom, factory floor, and growth plan in the Rockford Region. 

On May 12, GRCC will host Austan Goolsbee, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, for a high-level luncheon conversation on the forces shaping the U.S. economy. 

Interest rates. Inflation. Labor markets. Manufacturing. Tariffs. Global uncertainty. 

These are not abstract headlines. They shape hiring decisions, capital investments, expansion plans, and long-term strategy across the Rockford Region. 

In this moderated Q&A session, President Goolsbee will offer insight into:

• How the Federal Reserve is thinking about inflation and interest rate policy 

• The strength and trajectory of the labor market 

• The outlook for Midwest manufacturing and supply chains 

• The impact of global events and trade policy 

• What economic leaders are watching most closely in 2026

This conversation brings national economic leadership directly into the Rockford Region for a substantive dialogue with the business community.