DANBURY, CONN. — Signs of economic hard times are everywhere, from the foreclosure and for sale signs that dot the suburban landscape to the shrinking classified advertisements for employment. As more and more people join the ranks of the unemployed and look to the government for help, the banks and the auto industry also are looking for some way to survive this national crisis.

But what do these economic times mean for our community?

On Tuesday, March 10, a panel of local experts will address many issues that concern everyone from families to retirees and from small business owners to college students. The “Economic $ummit: Surviving Our Economic Tsunami” will be from 5 to 7 p.m. in Room 218 of the Westside Classroom Building on the WestConn Westside campus, 43 Lake Avenue Extension in Danbury. The panel of area business people will discuss current economic conditions, expectations for the future and President Barack Obama’s economic plan and how it affects our community.

Panel members will include: Dr. Allen Morton, dean of WestConn’s Ancell School of Business; John Kline, CEO, Union Savings Bank; Stephen Bull, president, Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce; Bernard Findley, president, New Century Direct; Scott Sanderude, vice president, marketing and development, Praxair; Jane Didona, president, Didona Assoc. Landscape Artichitects; Brian Raabe, partner, Empirical Research Partners; and Chris Bruhl, president and CEO, Business Council of Fairfield County. The discussion will be free and the public is invited.

“We’ll talk about how we arrived where we are now by looking at key issues, such as the credit crunch and our banking crisis,” Morton said. “We can look at our own situations and explore what other countries have done in a historical context. For instance, what can we learn from Japan? And what can we learn from Sweden’s troubled banking system?

“Each panel member will assess the economy from their unique vantage point — business people talking about how the economy affects what they’re doing and how they conduct business in such an uncertain environment,” Morton continued.

The panel of experts cuts across industries, from equity manager to bank CEO to landscape architect and online business manager.

Morton said the summit will provide practical insight to anyone interested in today’s economy. “For example, if you’re a student, this is a good opportunity to help you figure out what to look at as job prospects and how to make yourself more valuable to employers.”

The panel discussion will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience and a summary conclusion by the experts.

For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.