Economic Outlook Conference, Presented by UA, Set for Jan. 16

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The past five years have been difficult ones for governments, businesses and organizations across Alabama. The recession has been long and deep, and the recovery has been slow, with jobs, revenues and sales struggling to rebound.

Fiscal uncertainty and budget tightening at the national level adds to the challenges firms and organizations face as they gather information and make  plans for 2013.

Those concerns will be addressed at the 2013 Economic Outlook Conference, presented by The University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research, Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa at the Convention Center. The UA center, CBER, is part of the Culverhouse College of Commerce.

Leading experts on the U.S. and Alabama economies will review recent trends and discuss prospects for 2013.

Speakers include Dr. David Altig, executive vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and Dr. Sam Addy, director of CBER and associate dean for research and outreach in the Culverhouse College of Commerce.

The luncheon keynote address, “Where have we been? Where are we going?,” will be delivered by Dr. David Bronner, chief executive officer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama.

Sponsors of the 2013 Economic Outlook Conference include the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Alabama International Trade Center, Alabama Power, Alabama SBDC Network, BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama, Boeing, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, ServisFirst Bank, Sterne Agee, and Vulcan Materials Co.

Conference registration and information is available online at http://cber.cba.ua.edu. Registration is limited and ends Jan. 9. The conference fee of $150 includes the Alabama Economic Outlook publication, conference materials and lunch.