UA to Present 2002 Economic Outlook Conference Jan. 17

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 2002 Economic Outlook Conference presented by The University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research is scheduled for Thursday, Jan.17 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Montgomery.

“These are uncertain economic times,” said Dr. Carl Ferguson, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research. “We expect the state’s business community to have a considerable amount of interest in the upcoming outlook conference and in hearing what our speakers have to say.”

The conference registration fee is $95, which includes the Alabama Economic Outlook 2002, conference materials and lunch.

David Bronner, chief executive officer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, will be the luncheon speaker. In addition to Bronner, speakers include:

Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for DRI-WEFA, who will give the U.S. Outlook.

Dr. Carl Ferguson, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research, who will address the Alabama Outlook.

Ira Harvey, education consultant, who will present the Alabama Revenue Outlook.

Conference sponsors this year include Alabama Power; The Boeing Co.; the Business Council of Alabama; Sterne, Agee & Leach Inc.; United Parcel Service; and Vulcan Materials Co.

Registration deadline is Jan.10, 2002. For more information, call 205/348-6191 or e-mail uacber@cba.ua.edu.

CBER is Alabama’s central reservoir for business, economic and demographic data. Since its creation in 1930, CBER has engaged in research programs to promote economic development in the state, while continuously expanding and refining its broad base of socioeconomic information.

To forecast the level of activity in Alabama, CBER developed an econometric model of the state. Beginning in 1980, output from the model has been published in the annual Alabama Economic Outlook series.

Visit CBER on the web at: http://cber.cba.ua.edu.