This presentation should be thought of as an Executive's Guide to understanding the economy in these troubled times. Topics such as general economic conditions, the current recession and the most likely path to recovery will be covered. Also, guidance on important individual business decisions will be provided.

The focus of this presentation will be to give the audience the information required to understand current economic issues. Business leaders and consumers must be able to interpret the important macroeconomic signals that can lead to significant changes in economic conditions. In addition, the actions of the Federal Reserve often lead to uncertainty as to the future course of economic activity. Fed policy will be reviewed and discuss in an effort to shed light on the most likely course of interest rates, business activity, and other macroeconomic variables.