Thirty-First Annual

Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference
Regions in Transition

April 24-26, 1997
Red Lion Hotel Spokane City Center, Spokane, WA


Conference Agenda at a Glance

Thursday April 24
8:00am - 6:00pmREGISTRATION/INFORMATION - Foyer
10:00am -11:30am

Salons 1-2-3		NORTHWEST POWER PLANNING PANEL

"Electricity Deregulation: Perils or Promise?"
Moderator: Ken Casavant, Eastern Washington Representative, Northwest Power Planning Council
  • John Etchart, Chairman, Northwest Power Planning Council
  • Nancy Hirsch, Policy Director, NW Conservation Act Coalition
  • Paul Redmond, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Washington Water Power
11:45am -1:45pm

Salon 4		NATIONAL FORECAST LUNCHEON

Chair: Gary Smith, Washington State University
Introduction: Randy Barcus, Washington Water Power
Speaker: Roger Brinner, Executive Director and Chief Economist, DRI/McGraw-Hill
" 'Irrational Exuberance' and the U.S. Business Cycle"
2:00pm - 3:30pm

Salons 1-2-3		REGIONAL FORECAST SESSION

Chair: Phil Kuharski, Prudential Securities
Moderator: John Mitchell, U.S. Bank
  • Montana - Paul Polzin, University of Montana
  • Idaho - Derek Santos, Economist
  • Oregon - Paul Warner, State Economist
  • Washington - Patrick Newport, Office of the Forecast Council
  • Alberta - Bob Fox, Fox Psychological Consulting
  • British Columbia - Chris Lawless, Ministry of Finance and Corporate Relations
3:45pm - 5:30pmCONCURRENT SESSION #1
6:00pm - 10:00pmRECEPTION - Salon 4

Friday April 25
8:00am - 6:00pmREGISTRATION/INFORMATION - Foyer
8:30am - 9:30am

Salon 4		CHARLES TIEBOUT LECTURE

Chair: Gus Mattersdorff, Lewis and Clark College
Introduction: Annabel Cook, Washington State University
Speaker: Calvin L. Beale, Senior Demographer, Economic Research Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
"Forces Underlying the Recent Rebound of Rural and Small Areas and Small Towns"
9:45am -11:30am
CONCURRENT SESSION #2
11:45am -1:45 pm

Salon 4		LUNCHEON - Salon 4

Chair: Ron Faas, Washington State University
Introduction: Don Dolley, Ore-Ida Foods, Inc.
Speaker: Jerry Jordan, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
"Governments' Role' in Job Creation"
2:00pm - 3:30pmCONCURRENT SESSION #3
3:45pm - 5:30pmCONCURRENT SESSION #4
6:00pm - 7:00pmNO HOST RECEPTION
7:00pm -10:00pmDINNER - Salon 4
Chair: Gary Smith, Washington State University
Student Paper Awards: Chuck Skoro, Boise State University
  • Gus Mattersdorff Award: Tim Bodine, University of Idaho
  • Graduate Award: Roger Coupal, Washington State University

Introduction: Phil Crawford, Washington State University
Speaker: Jack Ward Thomas, Boone and Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation,
University of Montana (Formerly U.S. Forest Service Chief)
"The Instability of Stability"

Saturday, April 26
8:00am -10:00amREGISTRATION/INFORMATION - Foyer
8:30am -10:00am

Salon 4		PLENARY SESSION

"Confronting the Perils of Economic Research in a University Setting"
Chair: Jim Barron, Washington State University
Moderator: Leroy Luft, Director-Cooperative Extension System, University of Idaho
  • Robert Hoover, President, University of Idaho
  • Michael Martin, Dean, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences,
    University of Minnesota
  • Lair Noh, Idaho State Senator
10:15am -12:00pmCONCURRENT SESSION #5
10:15am - 1:00pmIMPLAN WORKSHOP - Cad Lab, Design Institute River Point Campus - WSU - Spokane