Christopher Thornberg Biography

Christopher Thornberg is Founding Partner of Beacon Economics, LLC and widely considered to be one of the nation's leading economists. An expert in economic forecasting, regional economics, employment and labor markets, economic policy, and industry and real estate analysis, he was one of the earliest and most accurate predictors of the subprime mortgage market crash that began in 2007, and of the global economic recession that followed.

Since 2006, Dr. Thornberg has served on the advisory board of Wall Street hedge fund Paulson & Co. Inc. In 2015, he was named to California State Treasurer John Chiang's Council of Economic Advisors, the body that advises the Treasurer on emerging strengths and vulnerabilities in the state's economy. Between 2008 and 2012, he was a chief economic advisor to the California State Controller's Office and served as Chair of then State Controller John Chiang’s Council of Economic Advisors.

Widely quoted in the media, he has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, ABC’s Nightline, CNN, FOX News Channel, NPR, and is regularly quoted in major national and California dailies including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune.

A highly sought after speaker, Dr. Thornberg regularly presents to leading business, government, and nonprofit organizations across the globe. These groups include Chevron, The New Yorker, City National Bank, REOMAC, the California State Association of Counties, Colliers International, State Farm Insurance, the City of Los Angeles, and the California and Nevada Credit Union League, among many others. He has testified before the U.S. Congress House Committee on Financial Services on municipal debt issues, and before the California State Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation regarding changes related to Proposition 13.

Dr. Thornberg has been involved in a number of special studies measuring the effect of important events on the economy. These include the NAFTA treaty, the California electricity crisis, port security, California’s water transfer programs, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

He currently serves on the Residential Real Estate Committee at the University of San Diego's Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate. He is a panel member of the National Association of Business Economists ' quarterly outlook, a contributor to the consensus outlook of the Journal of Business Forecasting, and a contributor to the monthly economic polls published by Reuters. He is on the boards of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Central City Association (Los Angeles), the Asian Real Estate Association of America, and America's Edge, a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening the economy through public investments in youth and education. He is also a member of the Los Angeles Chapter of Lamda Alpha International, the honorary society for the advancement of land economics, and serves on the Advisory Committee of United Ways of California's coming California Financial Stability Report.

Prior to launching Beacon, he was an economist with UCLA’s Anderson Forecast where he regularly authored economic outlooks for California, Los Angeles, and the East Bay. He also developed a number of specialized forecasts for various regions and industries. Previously he has taught in the MBA program at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Business, at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, and has held a faculty position in the economics department at Clemson University.

Dr. Thornberg holds a Ph.D in Business Economics from The Anderson School at UCLA, and a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

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