Release Date: Wednesday, December 5, 2001

UGA TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS HOSTS ANNUAL GEORGIA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK LUNCHEON IN ATLANTA ON December 12

ATHENS, Ga. — ATHENS, Ga. - The 19th annual Georgia Economic Outlook luncheon, the state's biggest economic forecasting event, will take place Wednesday, December 12, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Directed by the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, the noon program annually draws more than 1,000 of the state's top business and governmental leaders for a detailed look into next year's economic prospects.

The Georgia Economic Outlook 2002 will feature opening remarks by Gov. Roy Barnes and UGA President Michael F. Adams, followed by overviews of the economic forecasts for the nation and the state of Georgia.

Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for DRI-WEFA, one of the world's most prominent economic data and forecasting companies, will deliver the national economic outlook. Behravesh manages DRI-WEFA's Global Macroeconomics Group and is responsible for developing the economic outlook and risk analysis for the United States, Europe, Japan and emerging markets.

Dean P. George Benson of UGA's Terry College of Business will give the Georgia economic forecast. Benson came to UGA in 1998 after five years as the dean of the business school at Rutgers University. Prior to his tenure at Rutgers, Benson spent 17 years on the faculty of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Statewide sponsors of the program are the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Black Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Economic Developers Association, Georgia Trend magazine, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta Business Chronicle, and the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism.

Following the opening program in Atlanta, the Economic Outlook tour travels around the state to Augusta (January 8), Columbus (January 11), Swainsboro (January 23), Savannah (January 24), Brunswick (January 25), Macon (January 29), Thomasville (January 30) and Albany (January 31).

In Atlanta, registration costs $70 per person and $600 for a table of eight. For information about registration, call the Terry College's Office of Executive Programs at 706-542-1964.

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