Colorado Business Economic Outlook & Forum
The 2025 Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum was held on December 9, 2024, in Denver at the Grand Hyatt.
The Colorado Business Economic Outlook publication provides professionals across nearly every industry in the state with a forecast of Colorado’s economy by sector. Each December, the Leeds School of Business and its Business Research Division presents its forecast for the following year during its annual Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum.
This economic forecast was developed in partnership with 130 private and public leaders across Colorado.
Held on December 9, 2024
The Grand Hyatt Denver
Program overview:
Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum
12:30–4:30 p.m.
This event is free and open to the Colorado business community, but registration is required.
Program overview:
Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum
12:30–4:30 p.m.
Free even open to the Colorado business community, but registration required.
Pre-Conference Workshop
AI in Action: Transforming Business and Education in Colorado
Join us for an engaging session exploring generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) and its growing impact across Colorado’s economic and educational landscape. As business and education adapt to an AI-driven world, the Leeds School of Business is reimagining how to best prepare the next generation. This presentation offers real-world AI examples and insights for the business and education sectors, along with personal use cases that bring these applications to life. Come explore practical applications, ask questions, and gain balanced perspectives on how AI can enhance productivity, innovation, and learning across Colorado’s industries and education systems.
- 11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Interactive AI Presentation
- 12 p.m.-12:30 p.m. – Stick around for prompt engineering coaching
Conference Agenda
Program Overview
12:30 pm Check-In (registration and check-in required)
1:00 pm Colorado Economic Outlook for 2025
Opening remarks by Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business Vijay Khatri and University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz
Richard L. Wobbekind, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder
Jessica Ostermick, Sr. Managing Director, CBRE, Colorado Region
2:20 pm Keynote: Health Care: The Foundation of a Thriving Economy
Donna Lynne, Chief Executive Officer, Denver Health
3:00 pm Industry Discussion Breakout Sessions:
Session 1 - The Dawn of a New Real Estate Cycle: Observations and Trends Heading into a New Era
Moderator | Julie Gibson, Executive Director, Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate
Panelists
Leon McBroom, Senior Managing Director, Denver Office Co-Head, JLL Capital Markets, Americas
David Zucker, Principal, Chief Executive Officer, Zocalo
Jon Weisiger, Senior Vice President, CBRE
Courtney Schneider, Director, Hines
Carl Koelbel, President and CEO, Koelbel & Company
Session 2 - The Economic Competitiveness of Colorado's Key Industries
This session will examine Colorado’s key industries and the factors contributing to their economic competitiveness. We’ll discuss how key industries are supported by state, regional and local initiatives and partnerships. And we’ll feature up-to-date developments in multi-state and multi-industry ecosystems supporting quantum computing, climate resilience and other advanced industries.
Moderator | Clif Harald, Principal, First Flatiron Consulting
Panelists:
Wendy Lea, Board Director, Elevate Quantum, and Co-Founder, TechHubNow!
Mike Freeman, CEO and Principal Investigator, NSF Colo-Wyo Climate Resilience Engine
Michelle Hadwiger, Director of Global Business Development, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Hanna Scovill, Sr. Manager of Economic Competitiveness, Metro Denver EDC
Session 3 - Evolution of the Energy Mix: Net Zero—Nuclear
This panel investigates the emergence of nuclear fusion as such an event and speculates as to how fusion’s commercialization may occur and how the energy industry (including its professional societies) might transition to such a brave new world.
Moderator | John Tobin, Energy Consultant
Panelists:
Gary Tobey, Tobey and Johnson, P.C.
Mark Jensen, Professor, Chemistry; Jerry and Tina Grandey University Chair in Nuclear Science and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
Terry Palisch, President, Society of Petroleum Engineers; Vice President, CARBO Ceramics
4:30 pm Networking Reception