DALLAS — Recovery efforts in New Orleans show two totallydifferent sides, said Peter Ricchiuti, who still has vivid memoriesof Hurricane Katrina.

Ricchiuti, finance professor and assistant dean of TulaneUniversity's A.B. Freeman School of Business and Louisiana's formerassistant state treasurer and chief

investment officer, will speak at Southwest Corporate FederalCredit Union's Economic Forum on Oct. 16. Two years ago, HurricaneKatrina had just turned Ricchiuti's world upside down when he spokeat Southwest Corporate's 2005 Economic Forum. Personal experienceenabled him to give a poignant account of activity in thestorm-affected region.

“Many misconceptions still exist,” Ricchiuti said of NewOrleans' sustained recovery efforts. “It really is a tale of twocities. Tourist spots have been cleaned up, rebuilt and are betterthan before the storm. Six blocks in any direction from thatcentral area, though, it's a different story.”

Ricchiuti will provide an update on the residual economic impactof the storms along the Gulf Coast as well as outlook for interestrates and for energy, how China and India fit into the picture, andwhat role alternative fuels play.

Ricchiuti has contributed to National Public Radio's Marketplaceprogram. His Burkenroad Reports investment research program, inwhich he directs a team of university business students in searchof undervalued stocks, has been featured in the Wall StreetJournal, New York Times, Washington Post and on CNN.

SW Corporate's Economic Forum will be held at the Embassy SuitesHotel & Convention Center in Frisco, Texas on Oct. 16-17.

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