BLOOMINGTON, IN — Brian Wesbury, Chief Economist at Griffin, Kubik, Stephens and Thompson, Inc., will deliver the keynote address titled "The New Era Strikes Back" at Monroe Bank's First Annual Economic Forum , Wednesday, May 8, at the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center from 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m.

Wesbury was named top economic forecaster in the nation in 2001 by the Wall Street Journal. The Chicago Tribune has called him "Chicago's most prominent New Era Economist." He is regularly featured on CNBC and CNN-fn, and comments weekly on economic issues for WPTT radio in Pittsburgh. In Chicago, he appears regularly on television Channel 11's Chicago Tonight and on WBBM radio.

Wesbury will answer important questions about where the economy is headed. He will speak about the proliferating signs of economic recovery and how the Fed may respond, and what it may mean for growth, inflation, interest rates and stock prices in 2002 and beyond.

Monroe Bank has a long history of organizing and sponsoring financial seminars, from its Financial Choices for Women Today seminar series to talks on topics such as investments, estate and retirement planning for its Prime Time Club for seniors. This is the first year for the Bank's Economic Forum. Monroe Bank Vice President, Private Banker and Forum organizer, Ed Gross, said the Bank wanted to offer a forum that would appeal to a broader audience. The Bank will present the Economic Forum annually, providing the local community access to prominent corporate executives, politicians and economists who will address national business and economic issues.

"Our clients show a strong and ongoing interest in gaining insight into the economy," said Mr. Gross, "and we intend to provide a forum to answer that need. We're excited about beginning a tradition of providing a forum for the dynamic interaction between members of our communities and both local experts and nationally recognized authorities."

A reception will be held following Wesbury's presentation. The Economic Forum is free, but reservations must be made in advance. Call (812) 331-3425 to pre-register, or call Ed Gross at (812) 353-7719 for more information.