February 1, 2006

2006 Economic Outlook for Ventura County Topic of February 17 UCSB Seminar in Oxnard

Jane Donnellan

The prospects for Ventura County's economy in the coming year will be the topic of a special seminar to be presented in Oxnard this month by the Economic Forecast Project of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The half-day program on Friday, February 17, will feature speakers who will review the performance of the local and regional economies in 2005 and offer the outlook for the Ventura County economy in 2006. The UCSB Economic Forecast Project is a research unit that provides regional economic data, analysis, and forecasts to the community.

The Ventura County Economic Outlook 2006 seminar will be held at Marriott's Residence Inn, River Ridge, 2101 W. Vineyard Ave., Oxnard. Registration and breakfast begin at 7 a.m.; the program will conclude at 11:30 a.m.

Featured speakers for the program include:

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 Ventura County Economic Review and Forecast"
Dan Walters, syndicated newspaper columnist: "A New Year, A New Schwarzenegger"
Brian S. Wesbury, Chief Investment Strategist and Chairman of the Investment Committee, Claymore Securities: "Tailwinds or Headwinds?"

Admission to the seminar is $125 per person and includes a copy of "The 2006 Ventura County Economic Outlook" book. To register, or for information, visit the UCSB Economic Forecast Project on the Web at www.ucsb-efp.com

or call (805) 893-5159.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.