Strictly Business: Experts on menu at forecast breakfast

If you really want to hear from the experts on our local Clark County economy, talk to the experts — the people working every day to provide jobs in our community.

That’s the thinking behind The Columbian’s annual Economic Forecast Breakfast, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 22 at the downtown Hilton Vancouver Washington. The breakfast typically draws hundreds of business and political leaders, and many others for a morning show-and-tell by some of Clark County’s most experienced and successful business people.

Our theme is “Building Opportunity,” and we’re honored to have Ken Fisher, founder and CEO of Fisher Investments, as keynote speaker. Fisher is a one-man economic development power player, having brought more than 800 jobs to Camas. His job requires him to be an expert on global economic trends, and he’s a skilled communicator who shares his insights in his long-running Forbes column.

We’ll be taking a break from the three-keynote format of the past two years to give Ken ample time to share his insights and respond to audience questions. Scott Bailey, the Employment Security Department’s regional economist for Southwest Washington, will follow with his annual economic forecast for the year ahead.

We’ll offer four breakout panels this year, drawing on a wealth of expertise within our business community. We typically change the breakout themes, knowing we can’t cover all topics every year. We also look for a blend of new speakers and veterans who are widely respected experts in their fields.

Here are this year’s panel topics, and our panelists:

• Emerging and small businesses — Eric Preisz, CEO of the software developer GarageGames; Betsy Henning, CEO of marketing and communications firm AHA!; Mary Sisson, co-owner of Kazoodles toy store; and Russell Brent, owner of Mill Creek Pub in Battle Ground.

• Large employers — John Rudi, president of Thompson Metal Fab; Bryce Helgerson, chief administrative officer, Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center; Ben Bagherpour, vice president of silicon wafer manufacturer SEH America; and Jason Koenders, senior vice president of the Integra telecom firm that recently relocated to Vancouver.

• Housing and commercial development — Ryan Hurley, president, Hurley Development, a commercial developer; Eric Fuller, president, Fuller & Associates commercial real estate; John Blom, real estate broker, Hasson Company; and Kelly Helmes, vice president, New Tradition Homes.

• Development opportunities — Panelists are Mike Bomar, president, Columbia River Economic Development Council; Paul Dennis, president and CEO, Camas-Washougal Economic Development Association; Teresa Brum, Vancouver’s economic development division manager; and Lynn Valenter, vice chancellor at Washington State University Vancouver.

We thank Riverview Community Bank, the presenting sponsor, as well as other sponsors — BergerABAM, Ginn Realty Group, and The Management Group. Pre-registration is required and it’s not too early to register at www.columbian.com/economicforecast. Questions? Call 360-735-4466.