Austin Chamber Schedules 'Economic Outlook' Event

AUSTIN, Texas — The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Economic Outlook early next month, officials said on Monday.

The gathering is widely considered the premier business and economic forecasting event of the year, typically attracting more than 600 attendees from the Austin region. The event is scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the JW Marriott.

"The Austin region has experienced unprecedented economic growth over the last 15 years; but we cannot take this sustained growth as a given," Austin Chamber of Commerce President Mike Rollins said in a prepared statement. "It is important for us to understand the trends that are driving the economy both in Austin and nationally."

Rollins specifically touted two of the scheduled speakers' expertise: Sarah House, senior economist and director with Wells Fargo Securities, and Martin Taylor, operating principal with Vista Equity Partners, who will moderate a panel on disruptive and emerging trends that are making measurable impacts on the local economy.

"The health and performance of our economy impacts more than bottom lines of job creators, it means jobs and money to pay the bills for the entire Central Texas region," Rollins added. "Comprehending what awaits us in 2019 is of the highest importance for the chamber and our region.”

A recent chamber report illustrated the dynamics leading to the bolstered local economy that have made Austin the nation's second-fastest growing major metro. Chamber analysts found Austin had a 6.9 percent growth in 2017 — bested only by San Jose, Calif., and ahead of San Antonio, San Francisco; and Nashville in top 5. That growth in gross domestic product (GDP) was derived from statistics compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Related story: Austin Is Nation's Second Fastest Growing Major Metro

The panel of speakers providing insights at the upcoming event are:

• Sarah House - Director, senior economist, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.
• Alison Occhialini - vice president of digital distribution, PIMCO.
• Matthew P. Moynahan - CEO, Forcepoint.
• Lt. Gen. James M. Richardson - deputy commanding general, Army Futures Command.
• Martin Taylor - operating principal, Vista Equity Partners Austin.

The JW Marriott venue for the event is located at 110 E. 2nd St. Price to attend is $75 for members, $85 for non-members. For more information, click here.

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