Economic Experts Speak at Local Summit

 Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Brian McGowan and Inland Empire economist John Husing will headline the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Economic Summit on Oct. 25, a spokeswoman said today.

The 7:30 a.m. summit, themed "Game Change,'' will be held at the
Renaissance Esmeralda in Indian Wells.

Husing will give his economic report for the Coachella Valley, and
McGowan will present an outlook for the region's economy, according to Traci
Rees, vice president for marketing at the Coachella Valley Economic
Partnership.

"McGowan plans to cover how the valley can diversify beyond tourism and
attract other industries while finding new ways to expand tourism at the same
time,'' she said.

A group of local business leaders will also speak why they choose
Coachella Valley for their businesses, Rees said.

McGowan, Palm Springs' onetime economic development coordinator, was
appointed California's Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Commerce by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before being named by President Barack Obama as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce.

He is currently CEO of the Atlanta Development Authority in Atlanta, Ga.

"I've had the opportunity to be immersed in the Coachella Valley's
economic development scene early on in my career and understand its strengths and weaknesses,'' McGowan said. "But what I am looking forward to focusing on at the annual summit is how we can think differently to grow the economy here.''

Husing, a research economist and chief analyst for Redlands-based
Economics & Politics, will present data regarding the state of the economy of
the valley and information on current economic trends.

Husing specializes in studying Southern California's economy and is an
expert on the impact of the movement of goods on the area. He has studied San Bernardino and Riverside counties for 45 years.

For more information on the summit, call (760) 340-1575 or click here