What will be the driving forces of the region’s next economy?

That question will be explored during the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s annual State of the Region Forum, set for Friday, Aug. 26. In addition, a new regional collaboration in a shared economic prosperity plan will be announced.

Speakers will take a look at opportunity industries and examine strategies to rebuild the region’s economy—those likely sectors that will help lead our businesses and be job growth areas over the next decade. The event is presented by UC Davis and UC Davis Health System.

“Our experts will look at how an economic recovery plan can be crafted that makes the most of current and emerging industry sectors that will lead the region’s economy,” said Martha Clark Lofgren, interim president & CEO of the Metro Chamber.

The keynote speaker, Lenny Mendonca, is a nationwide expert on economic cluster analysis. He is senior partner and director of the McKinsey & Co. San Francisco office. Mendonca has helped dozens of corporate, government and nonprofit clients solve their most difficult problems. He is an expert on globalization, corporate social responsibility, economic development, energy policy, health care and financial services, among others.

An industry panel will look at identified key industry sectors that can lead the way in the economic recovery. Panel members describing these sectors will be Trish Rodriguez of Kaiser Permanente on health care; President Alex Gonzalez of Sacramento State on higher education; Ashil Abhat of Bank of America on financial services; and Meg Arnold, SARTA of on clean tech and biosciences.

Guiding the panel discussion is formidable researcher Dean Steve Currall of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Currall is an oft-quoted source in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and The Economist on such topics as innovation and emerging technologies.

Providing a demographic profile of the region and reporting on economic and job trends over the last five years will be SACTO’s Executive Director Barbara Hayes. Rounding out the speakers are Metro Chamber board chair Gregory Eldridge of CH2MHILL and Five Star Bank CEO and Valley Vision Board Chair James Beckwith, with a look at the region’s economic planning efforts.

The event will be held 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency, 1209 L St., Sacramento. For event information, contact Chantal LeFevre at clefevre@metrochamber.org or 916-319-4260.