William Hambrecht, the legendary investment banker who brought the world Apple Computer, Genentech, and the OpenIPO, is slated to be the keynote speaker at Sonoma State University's 2002 Economic Outlook Conference on Thursday, Feb. 7 at the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park.
The theme of this annual event this year is "North Bay Economy: Positioning for Recovery" and will include presentations by panels of local industry leaders in technology, finance, investment, government, construction, real estate/, wine and tourism, health care.
" The last ten months have presented rapid changes to the U.S. economy and will have significant ramifications for all segments of the North Bay economy," says Dr. Ahmad Hosseini, dean of the School of Business and Economics which sponsors the conference every year.
Hambrecht is best known as the co-founder of the firm Hambrecht & Quist, whose West Coast style investment banking helped launch some of Silicon Valley's greatest success stories. In 1997, he decided to start a new firm WR Hambrecht + Co. that uses the Internet to create an open system for all investors -- from individual consumers to the largest institutional investors -- so that all have equal opportunities to make bids for IPO stocks, His remarks will begin at 12:30 p.m.
Professor Robert Eyler , director of the university's Center for Regional Economic Analysis, will discuss his North Bay regional economic indicators, forecasts and trends at 8:45 a.m.
The Technology/Finance and Investment/Government panels will feature: John Schofield, CEO, Advance Fiber Communications; Walt Spevack, Senior Director of Community Relations, Autodesk ; Massey Bambera, Senior Vice President, Bank of America; and Herb Dwight, retired CEO of OCLI and now the North Bay Angels.
Panels on Construction/Real Estate/ Wine and Tourism/Health Care will feature: Matt White, President, Basin Street Properties; Keith Christopherson, President, Christopherson Homes Inc.; John A. DeLuca, President and CEO, Wine Institute; and Sheila Romero, Executive Director, Sonoma County Tourism.
The conference will begin at 8 a.m. Registration is $100 person. For information, contact the SSU School of Business and Economics at (707) 664-2260.
