Hawaii’s economy is experiencing modest growth, with several indicators showing resilience despite ongoing challenges. The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) forecasts gradual growth through 2026, with stronger recovery beginning in 2027, according to its third quarter 2025 Statistical Economic Report.

Join us for our upcoming luncheon on Thursday, November 13, featuring DBEDT's newly appointed Chief State Economist Seth Colby, Ph.D., who will share the latest economic outlook and what it means for Hawaii's businesses. He will also cover the impacts of The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, tariffs, and national economic news.

The fourth individual to serve as Hawaii's chief state economist, Dr. Colby is the administrator for the DBEDT Research and Economic Analysis Division (READ), overseeing the comprehensive data collection, analysis, and reporting on various aspects of Hawaii’s economy, including tourism, labor, energy, and demographics.

Previously, Dr. Colby served as the tax research and planning officer for the Hawaii Department of Taxation, where he oversaw the research on the state revenue system, fiscal impacts of proposed legislation and macroeconomic forecasting.

Earlier in his career, he focused on economic and social development in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, working with the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank and Johns Hopkins University. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy from Johns Hopkins University.