UNM Press Release UNM to Host 2006 New Mexico Economic Outlook Conference

The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821, e-mail: scarr@unm.edu

December 16, 2005

UNM to Host 2006 New Mexico Economic Outlook Conference

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) at the University of New Mexico is hosting the 2006 Annual New Mexico Economic Outlook Conference on Thursday, Jan. 12. The conference will feature well-known local, regional and national guest speakers including Larry Waldman, sr. research scientist, BBER; Kelly Matthews, executive vice president and economist, Wells Fargo; and Nariman Behravesh, chief economist, Global Insight.

Sponsored by Wells Fargo, New Mexico Business Weekly, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the Public Service Company of New Mexico and UNM, the conference will be held on an annual basis as a benefit to the public and private business sectors working together to anticipate trends, forecasting and preparing the future economy in New Mexico.

UNM President Louis Caldera will open the conference with welcoming remarks, followed by BBER Director Lee Reynis. The program will start with Behravesh, who will discuss the international and U.S. economies in a talk titled, “Economic Outlook and Risks for the U.S.”

Matthews will tackle the regional economy in a talk titled, “Can the Southwest Economy Continue to Prosper?” Waldman will address the state's economy in a presentation titled, “The New Mexico Economy: Recent Developments and Outlook.”

A question and answer panel moderated by Dan Shingler, editor, New Mexico Business Weekly, will be held with the three economists at the conclusion of their presentations. Conference participants will be invited to ask questions of the panel in relation to the local and state, regional and national economies.

The conference will be held from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at the UNM Student Union Building in Ballrooms B and C. A reception will immediately follow the conference and will feature an awards presentation sponsored by PNM.

Registration for the conference is open to the public. The early-registration fee is $35, while late-registration (after Jan. 6) is $50. Interested participants can register online at: www.unm.edu/~bber/outlookconf.htm . Free parking will be provided for conference participants.

For more information contact Bob Grassberger at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research: rgrass@unm.edu , (505) 277-4739.

The University of New Mexico is the state's largest university, serving more than 32,000 students. UNM is home to the state's only schools of law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture and operates New Mexico's only academic health center. UNM is noted for comprehensive undergraduate programs and research that benefits the state and the nation.