Credit Crisis on Main Street: A Small Business and Banking Initiative

**IF TICKETS APPEAR SOLD OUT - YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ATTEND AS A VOLUNTEER!  EMAIL CREDITCRISISONMAINSTREET@GMAIL.COM **

Credit Crisis on Main Street:
A Small Business and Banking Summit 

You are cordially invited to a community-based emergency summit meeting, “Credit Crisis on Main Street: Small Business and Banking Summit.” Its purpose is:

To assemble community banks, small businesses and related parties to explore and make recommendations for assuring that community banks can receive TARP and other resources to stimulate small business activity.

A representative cross-section of community banks, small business owners, private investors, associations and other related parties will come together in a proactive, non-partisan environment to support our nation’s economic growth. 

Invited speakers include:

• Congressman Barney Frank - Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services
• Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez - Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business
• Bill Dunkleberg and William Dennis - National Federation of International Business
• Ann Ma - Small Business Administration, to name a few.

            Time –   Thursday, February 19, 2009,

                  8 am - 5 pm – Summit (including breakfast and lunch)

                  5pm - 7 pm – Reception hosted by Holland & Knight LLP

Place –     Cloyd Heck Marvin Center, 3^rd Floor

                  The George Washington University

                  800 21^st Street NW

                  Washington, DC 20052

                  Parking:  Parking Garage Located on H Street between 21st and 22

                                  Streets

                  (Scroll down for area hotels)

Objectives:

·         Forge a stronger alliance between small businesses and community banks, which are vital components of revitalizing our U.S. economy.

·         Proactively accelerate communication between the small business and banking communities and Administration and Congressional officials dealing directly with TARP and Stimulus funding programs.

·         Provide a forum for continuing interaction to review and revise programs and procedures as they are field-tested, assuring prompt modification or termination for inefficient or ineffective programs

Tactics:

·         Listen to key Administration officials describe current initiatives specifically targeting the revitalization of small businesses in America

·         Listen to small business and banking leaders discuss current challenges (real examples) confronting them in accessing capital

·         Listen to private investors discuss the challenges and opportunities for private capital to acquire financial assets and enable community banks to pursue more aggressive lending programs

·         Conduct working sessions involving small business and banking advocates and Administration representatives to develop areas of mutual agreement.

·         Assure that programmatic initiatives truly address a full range of diversity issues; engaging all segments of the small business community.

·         Stage a press conference on Capitol Hill to report our recommendations and begin an open dialogue to support the revitalization of small businesses in America.

Sessions:

·         A series of panel discussions involving industry administration officials, association leadership and small businesses and banks

·         Keynote addresses from prominent Administration and Congressional leaders

·         Networking sessions enabling participants to exchange ideas and information on specific topics

      Please note, as a unique feature we have invited the Chiefs of Staff (COS) and/or other senior executives within targeted government agencies, particularly those charged with executing the policies and procedures handed down by the Administration and Congress.  Again, we want to stimulate as much interaction and exchange of information as possible.

Featured Topics:

·         How to assure that government assistance to community banks is accessible fairly and efficiently so as to provide the basis for restoring substantial lending to small and mid-level businesses.

·         How to encourage and induce private sector investors to purchase community banks’ troubled assets.

·         How to develop practical and efficient monitoring systems where community banks receive federal assistance, if required to assure program compliance.

·         How to assure that small businesses are able to meet reasonable lending guidelines.

·         How to modify existing small business lending programs to encourage greater support from community banks (i.e., adapting NMTC program, etc.).

Area Hotels:

• George Washington University Inn (824 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC  20037; 202-337-6620)
• DoubleTree Guest Suites (801 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC  20037;
  202-785-2000)
• Hotel Lombardy (2019 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC  20006; 202-828-2600, 800-424-5486)
• One Washington Circle Hotel (1 Washington Circle NW, Washington DC  20037;
  202-872-1680; 800-424-9671)
• State Plaza Hotel (2117 E Street NW, Washington DC  20037; 202-861-8200,
  800-424-2859)