Reinvigorating the North Bay economy post-lockdown is focus of May 14 virtual conference

The Business Journal is launching a series of 2020 virtual events, starting on May 14 with its Virtual Recovery Conference with keynote speaker Julie Clowes, district director for the Small Business Administration.

“We take seriously our role in providing information to the community especially at this time of need,” said Journal Publisher Brad Bollinger. “We have done this and continue to do this with our 24-7 print and digital news. For decades we have also done this via our live events. Now, we will perform this latter function virtually.”

Other speakers at the May 14 event highlighting the area’s progress toward reinvigorating the North Bay’s economy include Sonoma State University dean and economist Dr. Robert Eyler and Todd O’Leary, vice president of communications and marketing for Sonoma County Tourism.

Eyler is dean of the School of Extended and International Education at Sonoma State University. He is professor of economics and director of the Center for Regional Economic Analysis at the university, where he has been teaching since 1995.

O’Leary is responsible for the tourism agency's marketing, communications, media relations, partnerships and research. These strategies and promotional programs support tourism as one of Sonoma County’s largest industries, contributing over $2 billion annually to the local economy.

The conference is sponsored by American River Bank, Bank of Marin, BPM, Interwest Insurance Services, North Bay Leadership Council, Poppy Bank, Redwood Credit Union, San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, Metro Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and Sonoma County Alliance. It is free to attendees.

Registration for the conference webinar, which will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m., is available at nbbj.news/recovery20.

The next event following the Virtual Recovery Conference will be the 2020 Forty Under 40 Awards presentations on May 21.

“We look forward to taking this journey with you,” said Bollinger.