BBVA Compass Economist to Discuss Economic Importance of Latin America at Conference Presented by UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Nathaniel Karp, chief economist for BBVA Compass, will discuss the importance of Latin America when he speaks at the 2009 Economic Outlook Conference Jan. 23 in Montgomery.

The conference, presented by The University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research, will be from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel.

BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution headquartered in Birmingham. BBVA Compass operates 577 branches in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Texas. BBVA Compass is among the top 25 largest banks in the United States based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Texas (4th) and Alabama (3rd).

BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of BBVA, a global financial services group with more than $750 billion in total assets, 47 million clients, 8,000 branches, and approximately 112,000 employees in more than 30 countries.

BBVA provides its customers around the world with a range of financial services, including commercial and wholesale banking, retail banking services, consumer loans, mortgages, credit cards, securities brokerage, wealth management, pension plan management and insurance.

The BBVA Group maintains a leadership position in Spain, Mexico, Latin America, and the Sunbelt Region of the United States, as well as operations in China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. BBVA is the second largest bank in Spain and ranks among the top 10 largest banks in the world based on market capitalization.

Karp has worked with BBVA since 1999 and was appointed chief U.S. economist in 2004 to assist the group’s management of its expansion in the U.S. market. He is a member of the BBVA Compass Executive Management Committee. His main responsibilities are conducting in-depth analyses of macroeconomic variables, monetary policy, and regional and industry trends.

Previously, Karp worked at BBVA Bancomer, the largest financial institution in Mexico, as director of financial and banking to research. Prior to joining Bancomer, he worked for The World Bank, Mexico’s Ministry of Education, and Advance Technology for Trade Information and Services.

Other featured conference speakers include Samuel Addy, director of UA’s Center for Business and Economic Research; Nigel Gault, managing director, North American Macroeconomic Service, IHS Global Insight; and Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office.

Conference sponsors include the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs; Alabama Industrial Development Training; Alabama Power; BBVA Compass; BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama; Boeing Co.; Business Council of Alabama; Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International; Sterne Agee; and Vulcan Materials Co.

The conference registration fee is $150, which includes the Alabama Economic Outlook 2009, conference materials and lunch. The registration deadline is Jan. 15.

The Center for Business and Economic Research is Alabama’s source for business, economic, and demographic research and 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, or phone 205/348-6191.

Editors’ Note: BBVA CompassSM is a trademark of Compass Bancshares Inc.