FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas is partnering with the Northwest Arkansas Chamber of Commerce to host the Quarterly Business Analysis on Tuesday, May 15. The breakfast event, open to the public, will be from 6:45 to 8 a.m. at the Embassy Suites, 3303 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers.

Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research, will present a 30-minute program that provides statistical highlights for the first quarter of 2007, key economic trends, and short- and long-term issues facing the local and state economy. Dan Hendrix, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas World Trade Center, will comment about how the new World Trade Center at Rogers can assist with regional and statewide economic development.

“The Northwest Arkansas economy continues to be an employment creation engine, even in the face of some significant global macroeconomic pressures,” stated Deck. “The most important job for the leaders of the region is to foster an environment where local employers have the best change to take advantage of growth opportunities, wherever they may be.”

Hendrix said, “The purpose of the Arkansas World Trade Center is to bring together businesses and government agencies involved in foreign trade to further the economic outlook for the state as a whole, as well as to encourage stability, peace and world trade development on the global level. The prosperity of this region is increasingly tied to the global economy, so it is important to understand how local economic trends are shaped by even larger forces.”

The primary purpose of the Quarterly Business Analysis is to provide quality, timely economic data and analysis to leaders from business, academic and governmental sectors in the region.

“The Center for Business and Economic Research exists to provide good information to the community so that our leaders can make the best decisions about using our resources,” Deck said.

The cost for the Quarterly Business Analysis program and breakfast is $30. Pre-registration by Friday, May 11, is required. Places can be reserved online at http://cber.uark.edu/ or by calling (479) 575-4151. The program will last about 60 minutes including time for questions and answers.