Bill Watkins

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - The California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting will present its Ventura County Economic Forecast in two seminars on Thursday, Feb. 17.

CERF Executive Director Bill Watkins will present the forecast. Jack O’Connell, former California Superintendent of Public Instruction, will speak on “The State of Education.”

The east county event, which will include breakfast, will be held from 7:30 to 10 a.m. in CLU’s Lundring Events Center. The west county seminar, which will include lunch, will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ventura Beach Marriott.

CERF provides local, state and national forecasts for government, business and nonprofit leaders throughout the country. Watkins has been providing accurate, unflinching forecasts for more than 10 years and has been widely published in academic journals, traditional media and new media. He and other members of the CERF team are quoted regularly by news organizations including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, NBC, Fox Business Network, Forbes and Bloomberg News. Watkins, who has a doctorate in economics, previously served as an economist with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.

O’Connell served as state superintendent from 2003 until term limits forced him to step down in January. A democrat, he was the state senator representing the 18th district from 1994 to 2002 and the assemblyman representing the state’s 35th district from 1982 to 1994. Currently a resident of San Luis Obispo, O’Connell attended Oxnard High School and returned to his alma mater to teach government for several years before entering politics. Quality education has been a priority throughout his career and he was the author of many landmark education bills.

Lundring Events Center is located in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center north of Olsen Road near Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus. The Ventura Beach Marriott is at 2055 E. Harbor Blvd.

Registration, which includes a copy of the forecast, is $150. To register, go to http://www.clucerf.org. For more information, visit the website or call (805) 493-3358.