Addressing the Financing Needs of Wisconsin’s Small Businesses

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, in collaboration with the Small Business Administration and the Community Bankers of Wisconsin, is convening a roundtable meeting on "Addressing the Financing Needs of Wisconsin’s Small Businesses: A Federal Reserve System Series." The roundtable will identify existing credit gaps in small business financing, share promising practices, and highlight regional, local or industry-specific differences as well as national themes in credit access and technical support for small businesses.

Event is Invitation Only.

05/27/10

8:30 AM

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:15 AM

Economic Forecast and Outlook on Small Business Lending

The most recent economic forecast for 2010 is provided along with an update on the current state of small business lending.

Speaker

William Testa, Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

10:00 AM

Panel: Obstacles, Challenges, Successes and Lessons Learned from Lending to Creditworthy Small Businesses During the Financial Crisis

Loans to small businesses are especially vital to our economy, as they employ nearly 40 percent of the private sector workforce. While conditions in financial markets continue to improve, access to credit remains difficult for many small businesses that largely depend on banks for credit. This panel will discuss the myths and realities of reduced lending to small businesses and seeks to discover ways to improve the prospects for small business lending.

Moderator

Daryll Lund, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Bankers of Wisconsin

Panelists

Raymond Bacon, Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Paul Kuplic, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer, Community Bank & Trust, Sheboygan, WI

Bill G. Smith, Wisconsin State Director, National Federation of Independent Businesses

William P. Beckett, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chrysalis Packaging & Assembly Corporation (CHRYSPAC) and Federal Reserve Board Consumer Advisory Council Member (Invited)

11:00 AM

Break & Networking

11:15 AM

Panel: Obstacles, Challenges, Successes and Lessons Learned from Providing Community Infrastructure to Support and Strengthen the Efficient Flow of Credit to Creditworthy Small Businesses During the Financial Crisis

A panel of nonprofit small business lenders, technical assistance providers and local government discuss the current environment faced by providers of infrastructure and support services to small businesses. The panel discussion will include SBA lending, minority entrepreneurship and identification of credit gaps with respect to small business credit products, types of financial institutions or demographic groups (including minority borrowers).

Presenter and Moderator

Eric Ness, Wisconsin District Director, U.S. Small Business Administrator

Presenters

Barbara Eckblad, Director of Lending, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation

Gayle Kugler, State Director, Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (Invited)

Maria Monreal-Cameron, President and Chief Executive Officer, Milwaukee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Invited)

12:15 PM

Working Lunch and Facilitated Discussions

The purpose of the working lunch is to provide attendees the opportunity to contribute feedback to facilitators regarding solutions to the reduction of credit for small businesses. Federal Reserve Community Affairs staff will summarize today’s proceedings and forward it to the Board of Governors.

1:30 PM

Closing Remarks and Adjourn

Last Updated: 05/17/2010