Economic and Real Estate Experts to Speak in Rancho Cordova

“Economy 2010: Catching the Updrafts-Dodging the Backdrafts” and “Commercial Real Estate – Did We Push the Reset Button” will be the topics of two leading authorities at the Rancho Cordova Economic Summit on Thursday, February 25th. Sponsored by the City of Rancho Cordova and the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, the breakfast event will be held in the Vision Services Plan (VSP) building that is located at 3333 Quality Drive in Rancho Cordova from 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Recession economics and when it may end will be addressed by Christopher Thornberg, Ph.D., who chairs the California State Controller’s Council of Economic Advisors and is an expert in economic forecasting, regional development, real estate dynamics, and labor markets. What is in store for Rancho Cordova’s commercial real estate market will be the topic of Bob Dean, who manages one of Northern California’s largest and most successful commercial real estate brokerage firms, Grubb & Ellis.

Nationally known and respected, Dr. Thornberg is a founding principal of Beacon Economics, an economic research and consulting firm that specializes in analyses of real estate markets, local economic development, and public and private policy issues. He is regularly quoted in major national and state newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. He has been involved in several special studies that measured the effect of events on the economy, including the NAFTA treaty, the California electricity crisis, port security, California’s water transfer program, and the 9/11 terrorist attack.

According to a recent Grubb & Ellis prediction, the Sacramento market won’t begin to recover until 2011, largely due to lack of any employment growth until then. “Sacramento’s office market is driven by the activity of its largest employer – the State of California,” said Dean. “This has caused area landlords to become more competitive for this business by offering tenant concession packages.”

Dean, who has been involved in commercial real estate since 1986, is executive vice president and managing director of Grubb & Ellis’ Sacramento office. He has been a member of Lambda Alpha International – Honorary Land Economics Society for seven years. He has been active in the Association of Commercial Real Estate since 1988 and is a member of the National Association of Industrial Office Properties, serving on both the local Chapter and National boards of directors. For the past 16 years, Dean has been a part of SACTO’s charter to recruit companies and jobs to this area.

Tickets for the February 25th event are available at the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce office that is located at 2729 prospect Park Drive, or they can be ordered on-line at www.ranchocordova.org. Ticket prices are $25 for Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce members, $35 for non-members, $10 for students, and $125 for a table of six.

For more information, please call (916) 273-5688 at the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce or (916) 851-8845 at the City of Rancho Cordova.