National experts offer predictions and insights at Economic Outlook Conference

Four leading economists will share their insights and predictions for the 2008 economy and beyond at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Economic Outlook Conference on Friday, September 14 at the Fluno Center for Executive Education in Madison.

For more than 40 years, the semiannual event has helped business leaders and owners translate economic trends into competitive intelligence. The one-day seminar will explore factors affecting local, regional, national and international economies and financial markets, including such key economic issues as interest rates, oil prices, the war on terrorism, federal budget deficits, employment outlook and the relative strength of the dollar. Business leaders from throughout Wisconsin, northern Illinois and eastern Iowa are expected to attend.

Featured speakers include:

• Caroline Baum, columnist, Bloomberg News. Baum will present "This Isn’t Your Father’s (i.e. Greenspan) Fed." She joined Bloomberg news as a columnist in February 1998 after 11 years at Dow Jones. Baum writes a widely read column on the U.S. economy and bond market, distinguished by a lively wit and no-nonsense approach to markets.
• James F. Smith, professor, Western Carolina University. Smith is the author of "Outlook," a quarterly newsletter analyzing world, national and North Carolina economies. With more than 30 years of experience as an economic forecaster, he serves on forecasting panels for Bloomberg, BusinessWeek and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, as well as the outlook panel of the Forecasters Club of New York.
• Clare Zempel, CFA, principal, Zempel Strategic. Zempel is a leading business economist and top investment strategist quoted by CNBC, U.S. News, BusinessWeek, MSNBC and USA Today. Prior to founding Zempel Strategic, he served as a director of investment policy, chief investment strategist and chief economist for Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.
• Donald A. Nichols, professor emeritus of economics, UW–Madison. Nichols has played a prominent role in public affairs, both nationally and in Wisconsin. He serves on Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle’s Economic Advisory Council and on the board of Thompson Plumb Funds. A prolific writer and nationally recognized speaker, Nichols’ research, teaching and publications focus on factors affecting unemployment, inflation and regional economic growth.

Charles Krueger, program director for executive education at UW–Madison, says the Economic Outlook Conference is "targeted to management teams looking to better align their strategic goals to economic trends – whether they’re considering budgeting, pricing, forecasting, employment plans or their personal investment strategies."

The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. at the Fluno Center for Executive Education, 601 University Avenue. A networking reception will follow.

Economic Outlook is a signature event of the Executive Education program at the UW–Madison School of Business. For more information, or to register for the event, call (800) 292-8964.