Keynote: Bert Ely, banking consultant

Location: Maggianos, Little Italy, Friendship Heights

6:30 PM, Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Fee: Members $44, Non-members $64 - inclusive prices for full dinner, including tax and tip, program and networking. Cash bar. (Prices just reduced; if you paid the higher price, you'll get a credit for the difference)

Subsidized parking and on the Red Metro Line.

Considering the financial crisis and its impact on you and your finances:

• What is the current status of your portfolio?
• How much money is left in your 401K, pensions or other savings or investments?
• What are you doing for your future - or current - retirement?
  
• What is the status of your children's or grandchildren's college funds?
• Do you still have a job? Do you think you'll have one all year, or are your career and income stream at risk?
  

After peaking at 14,000, on October 9, 2008, the DJIA Closed at 8579. By Monday, March 9, 2009, it had dropped at the final bell to 6547, off over 50%. Other indexes in the U.S. and abroad had similar, or even sharper declines. Most of the indicators for the future currently appear negative. On March 6, 2009, Treasury Secretary Geithners two top treasury assistants withdrew their names from consideration. There are 17 unfulfilled top jobs at the U.S. Treasury. Focusing like a laser on the economy: so much for change at this time.

• Bert has specialized in deposit insurance and banking structure issues since 1981. As the S & L situation worsened in 1986, he was one of the first persons to publicly predict a taxpayer bailout of FSLIC. Bert was one of the first to sound the alarm about the financial risks posed to taxpayers by the two government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. On an ongoing basis, he monitors conditions in the banking and thrift industries, the growing politicization of the credit allocation process and issues involving monetary policy and the payments system. Bert has participated in numerous corporate turnarounds and loan restructurings. Bert earned a degree in accounting from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from The Harvard Business School.

Panelists:

• Edward B. Merrinan is a senior portfolio manager with AB Bernstein. Prior to joining Bernstein, he spent 15 years at JP Morgan Securities in a number of roles in the U.S. and European Institutional fixed income credit businesses, including leading the firms credit strategy efforts. Edward started his career with Keefe Bruyette & Woods (KBW) as an equity research analyst covering U.S. regional banks.. He later worked in KBWs Bank Watch division, researching the creditworthiness of global finance institutions. Edward earned a BA in economics from Union College and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

• Douglas J. Elliott, fellow in Economic Studies at The Brookings Institution. He is a member of the initiative on Business and Public Policy. His primary focus is on financial institutions, particularly, the Federal governments role dealing with the current financial market crisis. An investment banker for two decades, principally at JP Morgan, where he was a managing director. His work has given him a wide-ranging and deep understanding of the industry. He has researched financial institutions or worked directly with them as clients in a number of capacities: equity analyst, credit analyst, merger and acquisitions specialist. Douglas's work encompassed banks, insurers and funds management firms. Douglas graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in sociology and Duke University with an M.A. in computer science.

Moderator:

• David Greene, vice president and financial advisor at AB Bernstein Global Wealth Management. At Berbstein, he advises high-net-worth individuals and institutions regarding investment strategies. Prior to joining Bernstein, David served 7 years at the Washington Post as president of PostNewsweek Tech Media. David worked at McKinsey & Co before joining the Washington Post. He received a degree in economics from Harvard College and an MBA from HBS.
  

Sign up early as this will be a very popular event.