US Economist

Josh Lehner joined SGH in 2024 as US Economist, supporting Chief US Economist Tim Duy. He joined SGH after 16 years of public service as an Economist with the State of Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis, including an interim role as Chief Economist to assist the state transition its economic team after Lehner’s departure to the private sector.

In his years with the state of Oregon, during which he formed a strong relationship with Duy, Lehner developed the quarterly Oregon economic forecast, including outlooks for employment, income, and housing. Lehner also acted as the state’s de facto vice economist by forecasting gaming, judicial, marijuana and tobacco revenues.

Lehner’s economic research is regularly cited by local and national media, and prior to joining the state he published a paper on the border tax effect between Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. He earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Colorado, and an M.S. in Economics from Portland State University. Outside of work, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, traveling the country, camping, and consuming Oregon’s craft beverages.