Thursday, September 28, 2006

Wilmington, N.C. - The University of North Carolina Wilmington Cameron School of Business will host the third annual Economic Outlook Conference from 7:15 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 10 in the Fisher Student Center on the UNCW campus.

The conference will begin with a presentation by William "Woody" Hall, senior economist in the Center for Business and Economic Services. Hall will summarize the region's economic activity for the first three quarters of 2006 and present his economic forecast for the fourth quarter of 2006 and calendar year 2007. Retired Federal Reserve Board member Tom Simpson, now an Executive in Residence with the Cameron School of Business, will provide a supporting economic perspective.

Keynote speaker Jack Barto, president and CEO of New Hanover Health Network, will speak on the health services sector and its economic impact on the region. Two executive panels will focus on the economic drivers of the health services sector and on the outlook for residential and commercial real estate.

Conference schedule:

7:15-7:45 a.m. Check-in and breakfast

7:45-8:05 a.m. Welcome

8:05-9:15 a.m. Economic Summary and Forecast

9:15-10:00 a.m. Executive Panel, Commercial and Residential Real Estate

10:15-10:50 a.m. Keynote Speaker Jack Barto, president and CEO, New Hanover Health Network

10:50-11:10 a.m. Keynote Speaker Virginia Adams, dean, UNCW School of Nursing

11:10-11:50 a.m. Executive Panel, Health Services

11:50-Noon Closing

Other featured speakers and panelists to include: Carlton Fisher, Coastal Realty; Cynthia Strickland, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty; Kenneth Vance, Bank of America; and Mark Darrow, M.D., president and CEO, Coastal AHEC.

Conference registration fee is $35 and includes breakfast. To register, go to www.uncw.edu/eoc or call 910.962.3510. The UNCW Economic Outlook Conference is sponsored by Bank of America, the Realtors Commercial Alliance of the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors, Star-News and the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.

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Note to media: Conference is open to the public by registration only. Members of the media are invited to breakfast and to cover event.

For more information or to arrange and interview with Hall, please contact Caroline Cropp, 910.962.7109 or croppc@uncw.edu.