Economic Outlook For Santa Barbara County Topic of April 25 UCSB Seminar

The Economic Forecast Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara will present its annual seminar on the outlook for Santa Barbara County's economy on Thursday, April 25.

Speakers at the half-day program will review the performance of the local, state, and national economies in 2001 and offer their views on the outlook for the county's economy in 2002. The 21st Annual Santa Barbara County Economic Forecast Seminar will be held at the Lobero Theatre, 33 East Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara. Registration and breakfast begin at 7:15 a.m. The speaking program begins at 8 a.m. and concludes by noon.

The UCSB Economic Forecast Project is a research unit that provides regional economic data, analysis, and forecasts to the community.

Dan Walters, a syndicated columnist whose work now appears in more than 50 California newspapers, will open the program with his assessment of "The State of the State of California."

Other speakers for the program include:

Robert G. Dederick, economic consultant to the Northern Trust Company in Chicago, where he previously served as executive vice president and chief economist: "The National Economy."

Leslie Appleton-Young, Vice President and Chief Economist for the California Association of Realtors: "The Santa Barbara County Real Estate Review and Forecast."

Dr. Bill Watkins, executive director of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project and a former research economist at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C.: "The Santa Barbara County Economic Review and Forecast."

Admission to the seminar is $225 per person and includes a copy of the book "The 2002 Santa Barbara County Economic Outlook," featuring some 175 pages of data and analysis, including graphs and tables. The book retails for $107 per copy.

To register for the seminar, or for more information, contact the UCSB Economic Forecast Project by phone, (805) 893-5148; or fax, (805) 893-2754.

Information about the Economic Forecast Project's programs, publications, and research activities can be found on the World Wide Web at www.ucsb-efp.com.

ATTENTION EDITORS AND REPORTERS:

Coverage of the seminar is invited.

Reporters interested in covering the seminar are asked to contact the UCSB Economic Forecast project in advance so that a complimentary copy of the book "The 2002 Santa Barbara County Economic Outlook" can be reserved for them, and a press registration prepared. Please call Dan Oh at (805) 893-5148, or e-mail him at doh@ia.ucsb.edu