AB '84 Econ; AM '85 Applied Econ
Chief Economist
Grant Thornton
Diane Swonk is Chief Economist and Managing Director at Grant Thornton LLP, the audit and consulting firm. Diane advises the Federal Reserve Board and its regional banks. She has periodically advised the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) for the White House on a nonpartisan basis. She has been named a Fellow of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) for her outstanding contributions to the field of business economics and continues to dedicate much of her time to improving the quality and timeliness of economic data, which she views as a critical aspect of policy making. She was recently named among the 100 most influential economists in the world. The Association for Corporate Growth Chicago gave her a lifetime achievement award in 2019.
While based in Chicago, Diane is one of the most respected economists in the world and is frequently called upon by policy makers and business leaders from Washington to Tokyo. She is seen regularly on national and international television. Her analysis is quoted in top financial news publications including The Wall Street Journal. Diane is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations as well as the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. She serves on the boards of the Posse Foundation in Chicago, the Chicago Conservation Center and the NABE Foundation, which awards scholarships to study
economics.
Diane earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in economics with top honors from the University of Michigan; she regularly contributes her time and other resources to support the economics department. She earned a master's degree in finance and strategic planning with top honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where she remains involved as well.
