LOADING
LOADING
I'm proud of what we've accomplished together in a year when we celebrated our 40th anniversary. I'm also energized by what lies ahead.
A central focus of our work in 2025 was the 2025 Grand Challenge: Aligning Workforce Skills with Labor Market Demands — an obstacle that touches every industry and community, as talent fuels the productivity, innovation and shared prosperity that move our economy forward. In partnership with UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, we tackled the skills gap through a series of expert convenings and roundtables and by publishing collaborative research that explores the forces reshaping the changing scope and requirements of work in an Artificial Intelligence-driven future. Empowering American Cities, our collaboration with Fifth Third Bank powered by data from the American Growth Project, continued to create new pathways for helping leaders understand and act on the unique factors that influence their communities' growth. And with the generous support of the North Carolina Collaboratory, we are applying our expertise in economic forecasting and translational research to deliver meaningful impact across the state.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to partnering with you in 2026 as we work to advance our mission to explore market-based solutions to vital economic issues in North Carolina and beyond.
The Kenan Institute marked a milestone 40 years in the making — celebrating its 1985 founding and the vision that set it in motion. At the heart of that vision was Frank Kenan's bold idea to bridge academic research, public policy and the private sector to drive broad-based economic growth.
On May 7, a dinner at The Carolina Inn brought together institute family and friends to honor Frank Kenan's legacy. The celebration continued on June 12 at the Kenan Center, where institute personnel joined the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School community for a lunchtime gathering recognizing the institute's four decades of impact and the momentum carrying the critical work forward.
The Kenan Institute's Grand Challenge is a yearlong effort to examine and drive solutions to the most complex issues facing business and the economy today.
Our 2025 Grand Challenge tackled one of the most urgent obstacles facing US businesses today: America's widening skills gap. Driven by technological breakthroughs, demographic shifts and cultural changes in the workplace, this deficit has left many jobs unfilled as many workers navigate the need to reskill in order to remain competitive. Through published insights and commentaries, videos, roundtables and discussions at our annual Frontiers of Business Conference, we examined what skills are most in demand and which solutions show the greatest promise for bridging the divide.
The Kenan Institute's Distinguished Fellows comprise an exemplary set of global scholars appointed on an annual basis to leverage their individual expertise, thought leadership, research and networks on behalf of the institute's Grand Challenge. In 2025 their work was instrumental in advancing the institute's exploration of bridging America's skills gap.
Thank you to Bruce Van Saun, Citizens Financial Group Inc. chairman and CEO, and his wife, Kathleen (Katie) Van Saun, for their support of the Kenan Institute's annual Grand Challenge.
The Frontiers of Business Conference: Bridging the Skills Gap convened more than 275 business practitioners, researchers and policy leaders to examine the skills in demand and share objective, evidence-based solutions for addressing America's skills gap. The event served as the culmination of a year of thought leadership produced through the institute's Grand Challenge.
This collection of insights highlights what it will take to stay ahead — from artificial intelligence's impact and the evolving skills gap to the growing importance of soft skills, adaptability and continuous learning. Explore perspectives from cross-sector leaders along with our assessment of the top takeaways from the 2025 Frontiers of Business Conference below.
The expectations of mutual commitment that once anchored work have frayed, as employers offer less long-term stability and employees change jobs more often. Flexibility is key to both sides: Workers want more control over when, where and how they work, while companies seek the best ways to weather volatile markets, rapid technology changes and soaring benefit costs. Our exploration asks what happens when both sides are redefining how work fits their needs — and defines pathways for organizations based on models that work. How are employers restructuring work to add value to the bottom line as well as attract and retain talent, from recent graduates to seasoned executives?
The American Growth Project continues in its effort to help policymakers, business leaders and others make decisions that benefit their local economies by providing real-time indicators and localized insights. The project’s data and analysis power Empowering American Cities, the Kenan Institute's collaboration with Fifth Third Bank, as well as interactive dashboards on both the American Growth Project and Empowering American Cities websites. It has also been featured in Kenan Insights and commentaries throughout the year.
Empowering American Cities, the Kenan Institute's collaboration with Fifth Third Bank, expanded its reach in 2025 through well-attended events in major cities and a series of nationally distributed reports.
Launched in April 2024, Empowering American Cities pairs Fifth Third's community-based banking teams with Kenan Institute researchers to deliver real-time economic insights across 30 regions in the bank's footprint. Built on the data and analysis of the American Growth Project, the collaboration supports regional leaders through a range of initiatives, including:
Focusing on education-based programs with the potential to strengthen economies.
Examining how migration trends influence housing demand, supply and affordability.
Showing growth slowing across the country, even as key economic indicators in many cities are improving.
With support from the North Carolina Collaboratory, the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise is developing the North Carolina Advanced Economic Forecasting Initiative by combining economic models, expert analysis and local development projects to provide actionable insights for counties across the state. As an unbiased, cross-sector partner, the Kenan Institute will continue refining forecasting tools, responding to stakeholder needs and strengthening partnerships with community colleges and other workforce institutions.
Launched in May 2022, the Kenan Institute's virtual Economic Briefing delivers real-time insights just 30 minutes after the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its monthly jobs report. Chief Economist Gerald Cohen or another leading economist from the institute or from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School breaks down the latest data, offering clear, timely analysis on what shifting labor trends mean for businesses, policymakers and the broader US economy.
The conversation often extends beyond the employment numbers, touching on inflation, Federal Reserve policy, consumer confidence, and insights from the American Growth Project. Each briefing concludes with an open Q&A, allowing attendees to engage directly with the economist and deepen their understanding of current economic trends.
Professor Greg Brown breaks down the latest US employment data and explores how rising policy uncertainty — from tariffs to fiscal shifts —could shape the nation's economic outlook.
Chief Economist Gerald Cohen unpacks the latest jobs report, examining how labor trends and inflation expectations may shape the Fed's next move.
The institute launched its first LinkedIn newsletter, The Happy Economist, on February 4 to help readers better understand and appreciate the intricacies of the US economy. The regular feature delivers clear definitions of key concepts, easy-to-read graphics, quotations from our economists and reading recommendations to its more than 1,400 subscribers. The 2025 editions covered subjects including the skills gap, manufacturing and artificial intelligence, plus “Top of Mind” features on trending news topics.
For the past five years, Kenan Institute Chief Economist Gerald Cohen has been ahead of the curve, naming five trends shaping the year ahead. Now, he's back with his 2026 predictions — the economic challenges that business leaders and policymakers can’t ignore.
The Kenan Institute produces rigorous thought leadership tailored for a broad audience of nonacademic decision-makers in the private and public sectors. Our Kenan Insights and commentaries act as an avenue for our experts to provide practical approaches to relevant issues for business leaders and policymakers.
While policy interventions often dominate conversations about wealth inequality, the business community also holds powerful tools to drive shared prosperity. Across industries, companies are discovering that innovation and inclusion go hand in hand — creating profitable opportunities that both uplift lower-wealth communities and strengthen the broader economy.
To advance this vital work, in April 2025, the Kenan Institute and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School convened leading academics and industry experts for the third annual Conference on Market-Based Solutions for Reducing Wealth Inequality. Over two days, participants explored business innovations that can expand access to economic opportunity, the barriers that remain and the collaborative pathways toward a more inclusive and resilient economy.
NCGrowth is a national center dedicated to building an economy where everyone has the opportunity to prosper. Affiliated with the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, NCGrowth provides tailored technical assistance to small and midsize businesses in economically distressed communities and partners with local governments to create vibrant, equitable economies. Through workshops, field trips, seminars and major conferences, NCGrowth brings together communities and resources to drive lasting growth and shared success.
Bolstered by a steady increase in applications, the 2024-2025 academic year marked another remarkable season of growth, innovation, and connection for the Luther Hodges Scholars Program. Building on this momentum, 23 UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School undergraduate business students were welcomed to the program this fall. Throughout the year, scholars demonstrated their passion and purpose by founding startups, conducting policy-relevant research and earning prestigious distinctions such as the Schwarzman Scholarship. Through fully funded cross-sector internships, students applied classroom learning to meaningful, real-world projects — from advancing sustainable enterprise in Thailand and building wealth in underserved communities through capital market investments in Wisconsin to helping North Carolina businesses expand into global markets.
2025 also marked the debut of “Explorations,” an alternative fall break experience designed to immerse scholars in North Carolina's nonprofit sector and the complex business and policy environment shaping communities across the state. Continuing this experiential learning, over fall break, five Luther Hodges Scholars embarked on a three-day trip to Charleston, South Carolina, to explore how business can be a force for good. Along the way, they met with business professionals, non-profit organizations and state officials who shared insights on the impact of business and culture on local economies.
Experiences included meeting with senior leadership at the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, touring the Port of Charleston with the South Carolina Port Authority, a majestic sunset harbor cruise and lunch with South Carolina State Senator Ed Sutton.
Additional program milestones included the launch of a dynamic alumni engagement portal, the rebranding of the student networking series “Connections” and a generous gift from the Cannon Family Foundation to increase access to cross-sector experiences for more scholars. This transformative program exists thanks to the vision and generosity of its namesake benefactor Luther Hodges, Jr., whose lifelong commitment to using business to improve life for all North Carolinians continues to inspire our mission.
If you'd like to support the next generation of leaders — whether by serving as a guest speaker, mentor or financial contributor — please contact Phil Hardy, Assistant Director of External Relations, at [email protected].
Hosted by Dean Mary Margaret Frank and the Kenan Institute, the Dean's Speaker Series brings preeminent leaders from the private and public sectors to UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. These nationally recognized experts offer students and the broader community fresh perspectives on a range of timely issues while sharing the highlights, challenges and pivotal moments that have shaped their careers.
The Kenan Institute's new Year of Engagement Partnership Model is designed to create deeper, more sustained relationships with corporate and foundation partners. Rather than one-off event sponsorships, this model provides a structured, yearlong framework for collaboration — connecting partners to our research, events and network in meaningful and continuing ways. Through this approach, partners both contribute to and benefit from the institute's work, advancing our mission to bridge academic insight with business practice to develop market-based solutions for today's most pressing societal challenges.
By partnering with the Kenan Institute, organizations demonstrate a shared commitment to thought leadership and responsible business, recognizing the value of shaping the dialogue around complex issues such as workforce development, innovation and inclusive growth. The tiered model provides scalable opportunities for engagement and visibility, ensuring that each partnership is tailored to the organization's goals and capacity for involvement.
This framework not only deepens our relationships with existing collaborators but also lays the groundwork for sustainable, long-term impact.
We invite you to join us. For more information about partnership opportunities, please contact Assistant Director of Business Development Shannon Chen at [email protected].
Keep an eye on our events page for coming opportunities to connect.
