Panel Discussion: ‘Is the Gulf Coast Open for Business?’

    WASHINGTON, July 16 /EMWNews/ -- The following was

released by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University:



    WHAT: Panel Discussion: "Is the Gulf Coast Open for Business?"



    Sponsored by Mercatus Center at George Mason University



    WHEN: Tuesday, July 29, 2008, 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.



    WHERE: Zenger Room, National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW



    Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m.



    WHO: Emily Byram, Executive Director, Friends of New Orleans



    Paul T. Conway, Chief of Staff, Office of the Federal Coordinator for

Gulf Coast Rebuilding, US Department of Homeland Security



    Veronique de Rugy, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George

Mason University



    Steven Horwitz, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason

University and Charles A. Dana Professor of Economics, St. Lawrence

University



    Matt Mayer, President, Provisum Strategies and Adjunct Professor of

International Relations, The Ohio State University



    The Honorable Tim Roemer (D-IN), former Congressman from Indiana, 9/11

Commissioner, and Distinguished Scholar, Mercatus Center at George Mason

University



    Tim Williamson, President, Idea Village, New Orleans, LA



    On July 29th, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University will

release the first in a series of three reports analyzing what is working in

Gulf Coast recovery from Hurricane Katrina and offering recommendations on

how to speed recovery from this and future disasters.







    Local Knowledge: Is the Gulf Coast Open for Business? features six

articles highlighting the critical role of the business sector response in

the Gulf Coast and lessons learned for when the next time a disaster of

this magnitude strikes.



    Mercatus's research is informed by over 400 hours of interviews with

entrepreneurs, community leaders, public officials and everyday citizens

from all walks of life who are rebuilding their communities. Local

Knowledge also highlights six of their stories in case studies that

accompany the research.



    The release at the National Press Club will feature a panel of experts

on disaster preparedness and Gulf Coast recovery that will discuss the

findings in Local Knowledge and how their first hand experiences answer the

questions:



    -- Is the Gulf Coast open for business?



    -- What challenges face entrepreneurs rebuilding their communities?



    -- What is working in the recovery efforts and why?



    -- How can public policy better support the critical role that

entrepreneurs of all sizes play in responding to disasters and rebuilding

communities?