National and state experts will look into the future of the U.S. and West Virginia economies during the West Virginia Economic Outlook Conference Tuesday, Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Charleston Marriott.

Gov. Bob Wise will give an address on West Virginia’s economic future at noon. He will speak on how the state will cope with the deepening economic problems the nation and state face and his vision for stimulating West Virginia’s economy.

The conference is intended for decision-makers and strategic planners whose success depends on having the best available information on current and emerging economic trends. In addition to the main speakers, a panel of industry experts will discuss the outlook for some of the state’s most important sectors.

David Wyss, chief economist for Standard&Poor’s, will discuss the national economy, including the effects of recent terrorist attacks and what many economists believe to be a period of recession the country has entered.

Wyss is responsible for Standard&Poor’s economic forecasts and publications and co-authors the monthly Forecast Summary and the weekly Financial Notes. He also manages research projects, especially in financial risk and tax policy. He was a senior staff economist with the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Board and economic advisor to the Bank of England. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in economics from Harvard University.

Looking at how these and other aspects of the national economy will affect West Virginia will be George Hammond, director of the West Virginia Economic Outlook at the WVU Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

“West Virginia is not an economic island,”Dr. Hammond said.”Our future economic performance depends on how the national economy does and on the growth of our international trading partners such as Canada, Japan, Belgium and Brazil.”

During the past seven years, Hammond has produced numerous forecasts of the state economy as well as many of the state’s regional economies. He is often quoted in the state’s print and broadcast media and has provided briefings to the executive and legislative branches of state government. He is a research assistant professor in West Virginia Universitys College of Business and Economics and teaches in the Executive MBA program. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Colorado and a doctorate in business economics from Indiana University.

Hammond said a national recession would affect state growth, likely resulting in net job losses, a higher unemployment rate and slower income growth, adding that increased defense spending will not particularly boost state growth.

“We’re not a major producer of defense goods,”he said. Tom Witt, BBER director, said the topics being discussed are”particularly appropriate because state business and government leaders need to assess where the state is going during these changing economic tides.”

This is the eighth annual Economic Outlook Conference, partially sponsored by the College of Business and Economics. For more information and a registration form, visit www.be.wvu.edu or call 293-7831. The cost is $60 ($75 after Oct. 26) and $25 for students.