With the U.S. government shutdown now in its second month, industry economists find themselves in an unusually precarious situation. Forecasters this fall are trying to make predictions for 2026 without the benefit of their usual monthly supply of essential government statistics. Imagine trying to read a crystal ball while wearing a blindfold.
Here, Rob McManamy discusses this unwelcome predicament for engineering firms trying to make plans for the hidden road ahead.
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An industry reporter and editor since 1987, McManamy joined HPAC Engineering in September 2017, after three years with BuiltWorlds.com, a Chicago-based media startup focused on tech innovation in the built environment. He has been covering design and construction issues for more than 30 years, having started at Engineering News-Record (ENR) in New York, before becoming its Midwest Bureau Chief in 1990. In 1998, McManamy was named Editor-in-Chief of Design-Build magazine, where he served for four years. He subsequently worked as an editor and freelance writer for Building Design + Construction and Public Works magazines.
A native of Bronx, NY, he is a graduate of both the University of Virginia, and The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
