Conference to address Oklahoma's future economy

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

(November 11, 2008 Stillwater, OK) – A conference titled “Oklahoma’s Economy: What’s Forecast for 2009?” will be presented Tuesday, Nov. 18, by the Oklahoma State University Spears School of Business.  The conference sessions’ presentations will address the United States’ and Oklahoma’s current economic performance, as well as economic trends in key industry sectors.  The event will be held 8 a.m. to noon at the Metro Technology Center’s Springlake Campus in Oklahoma City.
 
“The forecast conference is especially timely this year because of the recent turbulence at the national level and the difficulty in understanding the expected impact on Oklahoma's economy,” said Mark Snead, director of the Center for Applied Economic Research at Oklahoma State University and speaker at the conference.

Speakers for the conference will provide a current outlook and a future forecast of the economy. Chad Wilkerson, branch executive and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in Oklahoma City, will provide an overview of U.S. economic conditions. The 2009 outlook for Oklahoma, as well as the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas, will be presented by Snead.

“The Spears School of Business is pleased to be able to support this forecasting conference, which we believe will assist leaders in both the public and private sectors better understand the dynamic economic environment we are in today,” said Sara Freedman, Spears School dean.

In addition, a portion of the conference will examine economic trends in key sectors of Oklahoma’s economy, including the impact of energy, agriculture and Oklahoma’s Indian nations and tribes.

Dewey Bartlett Jr., Keener Oil & Gas Company president, Oklahoma Energy Resources Board chairman and National Stripper Well Association chairman, will discuss the role of the energy sector in Oklahoma. The OSU Center for Applied Economic Research also will present the new Oklahoma Energy Forecasting Model.  

“The impact of the oil and gas sector has played a large role in the strong economic performance of the state the past few years,” Snead said. “We plan to release the initial forecast from the Oklahoma Energy Model at the conference, which provides a more detailed look at the role of energy production and consumption within the state than has been possible in the past.”

Kim Anderson, OSU professor of agricultural economics, will provide an update on agriculture’s impact on Oklahoma’s economy.  Brad Carson, Cherokee Nation Businesses chairman and chief executive officer, will talk about the impact of Native American economic development across the state.

“Agriculture has moved back into the forefront of the Oklahoma economy as crop and livestock prices have surged recently, while the impact of the state's Indian nations and tribes is having an important influence on overall job growth at the state level,” Snead said.

The conference also will examine the reasons behind the strong economic performance of the non-metropolitan areas in Oklahoma.  David Myers, Ponca City Development Authority executive director, and Lyle Roggow, Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation president, will address local economic development.

“Both Ponca City and Duncan are excellent examples of micropolitan areas in Oklahoma that have innovative and aggressive economic development strategies and are managing to outperform the state as a whole,” Snead said.

The conference requires a $45 registration fee due by Nov. 12. Group discounts are available for 10 or more people in the same company or organization.  To register for the conference, call the OSU Center for Executive and Professional Development at 405-744-5208 or 866-678-3933, or visit www.cepd.okstate.edu.