The Antelope Valley Economic Development and Growth Enterprise (AV EDGE) will host the virtual Business Outlook Conference – Winter Forum 2021 Style on February 24.

This long-standing annual business conference was formerly hosted by the Antelope Valley Board of Trade. However, in 2020, two iconic regional business development enterprises, the Antelope Valley Board of Trade and the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance merged into a single business entity now known as the AV EDGE. Due to the conference popularity and business demand, The AV EDGE Board of Directors and leadership team enthusiastically elected to continue hosting the Annual Business Outlook Conference.

Due to the continued COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s event will be virtual and will be condensed to a two-hour interactive conference that will premiere live at http://www.avedgeca.com between 10 a.m. and noon.

“Now more than ever, business interaction and engagement matters. The cornerstones of success require all business leaders and team members to have a realistic understanding of the global, regional and local health, well-being and economic forecasts, along with what we need to do to navigate post pandemic work environments - be that from home or the office, and that we inspire and be inspired. Our panelists and keynote speakers will provide insights that will enlighten all of us,” AV EDGE President Rob Duchow said.

This year’s virtual event will be moderated by longtime broadcast television anchor, Jeff Michael, and feature executive expert panelists including Jeff Babione, VP of Skunkworks at Lockheed Martin, Angel Pineiro of CompTIA, and others. The panelists have in depth experience and insights on how to leverage the business benefits of COVID-19.

The keynote speaker will be Peter Zeihan, a geopolitical strategist who will give a global, regional and local perspective on navigating during and post pandemic business environments.

According to AV EDGE Executive Director, Ronda Perez, “This year’s virtual conference is going to have a few surprises. At the heart of the conference will be valuable global and regional insights, how we all can engage and grow our businesses, and how we can not only survive, but thrive in this ever-changing and challenging environment. This two-hour conference will appeal to both the startup and seasoned business professional who may be challenged by our current situations. I am confident that every attendee will learn something new that they can practically apply to cultivate the relationships and grow their business.”

Registered attendees will be able to visit http://www.avedgeca.org and view the conference live on February 24 and also view the event in whole or part until April 30. Early registration is just $29 and ends on February 1. Standard event pricing is $49. Deadline for registration is February 23. For details and to register visit http://www.avedgeca.org or call (661) 441-2957.