Such in-depth information is the focus of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce's State of the City's Economy event May 29.

The lunch event includes the 2009-2010 City Economic Forecast, covering wide-ranging economic data about San Luis Obispo city, and a panel of local business leaders providing perspective on various aspects of the local economy.

"The combination of rich data and deep perspective brings the information home for local business people," said Ermina Karim, the Chamber's director of governmental affairs.

The ninth-annual event for the first time this year includes a segment on planning for the coming year and guidance on how to be successful in difficult financial times.

"That's what's missing from a lot of these types of events," Karim said.

The highlight of the event is the city-specific forecast prepared by Dr. Mark Schniepp and the California Economic Forecast.

Schniepp was the long-time director and chief economist of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project and the senior economist for the California State Controller's Office. The California Economic Forecast, of which he is the principal, provides research, forecasting and consulting for the public and private sector, including CalTrans and counties and regions across the state.

His presentation and the 36-page forecast book handed out to attendees will provide comprehensive data on employment, salaries and the labor market, commercial and residential real estate, development projects, demographics and "quality of life indicators" such as crime and education. Each segment includes relevant data as well as perspective on how it affects the overall local business climate.

Schniepp also will present findings from the business sentiment surveys that the Chamber has conducted periodically since March 2008. The strictly local survey, developed by the California Economic Forecast following the format of the Moody's Economy.com Survey of Business Confidence, tracks responses to questions about business conditions that are usually tracked only at the state or national level.

Schniepp's talk will be followed by comments from six local business leaders. They are:

° Carrol Pruett, Director, Rabobank, N.A., providing an overview of the local banking scene and credit situation.Pruett was president of Mid-State Bank for 33 years, one of the first eight individuals inducted into the Pacific Coast Banking School's Hall of Fame and the California Bankers Association's 2004 Distinguished Banker of the Year.

° Bob Wacker, President, Wacker & Associates, discussing how local investors have responded to the economy and trends in investing. Several publications including Worth magazine have repeatedly named Wacker among the nation's top financial advisors. He also has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and on the board of governors of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.

° Kris Yetter, President/General Manager, Promega Biosciences, on building a sustainable bottom line. Yetter is responsible for overall operations at Promega, a worldwide leader in solutions and support for the life sciences industry with locations across the globe. Before joining Promega a decade ago, she was operations manager at the Spice Hunter for 11 years.

° Dave Mullinax, Regional Public Relations Manager, League of California Cities, addressing how the area, which has high state government employment, will be affected by state budget decisions in Sacramento. Mullinax represents the Central Coast for the League of California Cities, working with city officials on developing informational programs and organizing grassroots activities to represent their interests in state government.

° Bob Koob, Provost, Cal Poly State University, exploring the state budget impacts on the CSU system and Cal Poly, including enrollment, capital projects and the university's impact on the local economy. Koob was vice president for academic affairs at Cal Poly from 1990-1995, a title he holds again along with Provost. He also has served in senior positions including interim president at North Dakota State University and president at University of Northern Iowa, his alma mater.

° Michael Gunther, President, Collaboration LLC, providing guidance and tips on how to use the information from the forecast to plan and thrive in the coming year. Gunther specializes in helping his clients proactively respond to changes in the market and aggressively grow their business. Prior to founding Collaboration, he was a business consultant with Atlanta-based Askier Development Inc. and the youngest-ever regional vice president at Shugard Inc., where he grew real estate holdings and operations.

The State of the City's Economy event is Friday, May 29, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Grace Church Community Center. Tickets are $60 for Chamber members and their guests, $80 for non members, and include lunch from Phoenix Catering. Reservations are required and will be taken through 5 p.m. May 22. Register here.

Major sponsors for the event are Rabobank; Andre Morris & Buttery; First Solar; Morris & Garritano; AT&T and the City of San Luis Obispo.