National Conference of Bankruptcy Clerks (NCBC) Members and Guests:

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Seattle for the 2007 NCBC Conference August 28-31.

The theme of this year's conference is "Forecasting the Future: Come Rain or Come Shine", where we will use the most current information to predict future trends in bankruptcy.

Seattle is a beautiful city, bordered by Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east, with the state’s crown jewel - snow-capped Mt. Rainier - visible from many vistas.

Seattle is also a vibrant place with a number of attractions in and around the city. Downtown Seattle features terrific shopping with major department stores as well as upscale specialty shops. Nordstrom is headquartered downtown, and the area is brimming with great restaurants and movie theaters. The Pike Place Market is also a favorite, and fish merchants will be happy to box a fresh salmon for your plane ride home. The Market is also home to the original Starbucks coffee store.

For those of you who enjoy the arts, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), the Experience Music Project (EMP, Rock-n-Roll museum), and the newly dedicated Olympic Sculpture Park, are excellent choices. In addition, there are several playhouses and live performance theaters in the downtown area including: the Fifth Avenue, the Paramount, and the Moore. Most evenings, you can also find live bands playing in the Pioneer Square historic district.

The conference will be held at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel located in the heart of the downtown near the architecturally acclaimed Seattle Public Library. The library is a must-see for its innovative design of steel, glass, and aluminum.

On the evening of Thursday, August 30, we’ve arranged a reception and dinner at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center. The Bell Harbor is located at Pier 66 overlooking Elliott Bay on the downtown Seattle waterfront. You will enjoy fabulous views of downtown and the Olympic Mountain range from the reception room while enjoying appetizers and refreshments.

Seattle awaits, and we look forward to seeing you in August.

Mark Hatcher, Clerk, Western Washington