Briefing: State of the Economy

When each day brings seismic shifts to our local, state, and national communities, it’s more important than ever for Oakland businesses and nonprofits to stay up to date on how the fundamentals of our economy are changing in response. Earlier this year the Chamber released its annual Oakland Economic Indicators Report examining the key employment and economic growth indicators of our local and regional economy. Join us for this special follow-up event with the report’s author, Chris Thornberg of Beacon Economics, as he outlines how the country’s repsonse to the COVID-19 pandemic will alter the path of California and the nation’s economic futures. This free event is open only to Chamber members and past participants of the Chamber’s 2020 Economic Summit held on March 11.

Chris Thornberg, Phd, founded Beacon Economics LLC in 2006. Under his leadership the firm has become one of the most respected research organizations in California serving public and private sector clients across the United States. An expert in economic and revenue forecasting, regional economics, economic policy, and labor and real estate markets, Dr. Thornberg has consulted for private industry, cities, counties, and public agencies. He became nationally known for forecasting the subprime mortgage market crash that began in 2007, and was one of the few economists on record to predict the global economic recession that followed. In 2015, he was named to California State Treasurer John Chiang’s Council of Economic Advisors, the body that advises the Treasurer on emerging strengths and vulnerabilities within the state’s economy.

Dr. Thornberg has testified before the U.S. Congress House Committee on Financial Services on municipal debt issues, before the California State Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation regarding rule changes related to Proposition 13, and before the Los Angeles City Council about proposed changes to local minimum wage laws. A well-known media commentator, Dr. Thornberg has appeared on CNN and NPR and is regularly quoted in major national dailies including the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Originally from upstate New York, Dr. Thornberg holds a Ph.D in Business Economics from The Anderson School at UCLA, and a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo.