What's the Outlook? Society of Automotive Analysts Conference Offers Authoritative Insights

5 January 2001
What's the Outlook? Society of Automotive Analysts Conference Offers Authoritative Insights
    DETROIT, Jan. 5 Now that the election outcome finally is
settled, are you still uncertain about the outlook?  Perhaps even more so?
Many automotive analysts, planners and strategists find their crystal balls as
cloudy as they've been in years.  Where is the U.S. economy headed?  Hard
landing or soft?  What are the prospects for auto sales in North America and
in other major markets around the world?  What's next from Washington in the
policy arena?  How will the new Congress and the Administration interact?
What's going to happen now in the auto retail environment?  How will flexible
capacity impact the bottom line?   What are the most interesting and most
significant new vehicles according to the experts?
    These and numerous other weighty questions will be explored by a
distinguished line-up of speakers and panelists next Monday, January 8, at
Detroit's Cobo Center, when the Society of Automotive Analysts' presents its
annual Automotive Outlook Conference, in conjunction with the North American
International Auto Show (NAIAS).
    Keynote speaker Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar at the American
Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.  His timely topic: "New
Economy, New Political Landscape, Collision Course or Peace?"
    Other elements of the conference program include the following panel
discussions:

    *  "Flexible Capacity and Its Impact on the Bottom Line" with panelists
Laurie Felax, Vice president of Hasrbour and Associates; Stephen Girsky,
Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter; and Michael Robinet, Director
of Forecast Services for CSM Worldwide.
    *  "2001 NAIAS Preview: What's Hot, What's Not?" with panelists Paul
Eisenstein, Publisher of the carconnection.com and Editor, The Detroit Bureau;
Mark Gillies of Automobile Magazine; and Tony Swan of Car & Driver and the
Detroit Free Press.
    *  "Election Aftermath: What's Next?" with panelists Warren Brown of The
Washington Post; Jim Mateyka, Vice President in the global automotive practice
of A.T.Kearney, Inc.: and Susan Walter, Vice President of Government Relations
for General Electric.
    *  "The Leading Economists' Annual Report" with panelists W. Van Bussman,
Corporate Economist for DaimlerChrysler; Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, Ford Motor
Company's Senior Economist; and G. Mustafa Mohatarem, Chief Economist at
General Motors.

    Each of the panel discussions, as well as the Keynote Address, will
provide ample time for audience dialogue with the speakers via Q&A -- always
among the highlights of the Outlook Conference.  Attendees will hear candid
opinions and analysis from some of the industry's most respected authorities.
They also will have the opportunity to interact with colleagues to share
experiences, ideas and solutions.  After the conference, each registrant can
enjoy a sneak preview of the latest products at the NAIAS with an exclusive
SAA analyst's pass, valid during Press Week, through noon January 12th.

    For additional information, including conference registration, contact SAA
member services at 800-700-0051; fax 734-677-2407; e-mail to
info@autoanalyst.org , or visit the SAA Web site at http://www.autoanalyst.org .

    The Society of Automotive Analysts is dedicated to providing outstanding
educational programs and superior networking opportunities to its members by
offering conferences, program, and other forums in which to discuss, debate,
and learn about a broad variety of subjects and timely industry issues.  The
society is comprised of over six hundred individual members.