UA’s Annual Economic Outlook Conference Set for Jan.15

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — What does 2015 hold for Alabama’s economy? Economists and representatives from The University of Alabama and its Culverhouse College of Commerce will answer that question this week at the 27^th annual Economic Outlook Conference in Montgomery.

Key speakers include UA’s Jo Bonner, Ira Harvey, Dr. Sam Addy and Ahmad Ijaz and David Altig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

The conference starts at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, at the convention center of the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa. Speakers will offer an analysis of what’s ahead for Alabama as well as the U.S. economy.

Altig, executive vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and Ijaz, associate director of UA’s Center for Business and Economic Research and director of economic forecasting, will discuss the U.S. and Alabama outlooks.

Harvey, executive assistant to UA’s vice president for financial affairs, and Addy, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and associate dean for research and outreach at UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce, will discuss the state’s tax revenue issues.

Bonner, vice chancellor for government relations and economic development for the UA System, will discuss Alabama’s economic development.

Check-in will start at 8:30 a.m. and the conference ends at 1:30 p.m., following Bonner’s luncheon address.

Conference sponsors are the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Alabama International Trade Center, Alabama Power Co., Alabama SBDC Network, Alagasco, BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama, Boeing, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, ServisFirst Bank and Vulcan Materials.