Governor Jon Corzine will address about 250 business leaders, and representatives for presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani will layout the case for their candidates at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s (NJBIA) 2007 Public Policy Forum, NJBIA President Philip Kirschner announced today. 

This year’s event, Election Year Watershed: How Will the 2007-2008 Elections Impact Your Business?, will run from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 11, at the Sheraton at Woodbridge Place in Iselin. It will also feature economic experts, political pundits, business executives and top legislative leaders who will give their insights into what the business community can expect in the coming year.

The program includes:

• Morning address by former US Congressman Robert Franks, on behalf of the Rudy Giuliani for President Campaign (8:50 a.m. to 9:10 a.m.);  

• Presentation of the Paul L. Troast Award to Anthony Dickson, president and CEO of NJM Insurance Group (9:10 a.m. to 9:20 a.m.);

• Presentation of the Distinguished Public Service Award to Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria and State Senator Peter Inverso (9:20 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.);

• Presentation of the 2008 Business Outlook (9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.) by Philip Kirschner, revealing what NJBIA member companies see for the year ahead;

• A legislative leaders panel (9:45 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.) comprised of  Senate President Richard Codey, Senate Republican Leader Leonard Lance, Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts and Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce.  Joe Bisicchia, host of Comcast Newsmakers, will moderate the discussion;

• A political outlook panel (11:00 a.m. until noon), moderated by NJN Senior Political Correspondent Michael Aron and featuring State Democratic Party Chair Joe Cryan, Republican State Party Chair Tom Wilson, Roger Bodman of the Giuliani for President campaign, and Harold Hodes of the Clinton for President

• A concurrent panel discussion on New Jersey’s economic outlook (11:00 a.m. until noon), moderated by NJBIA First Vice President Art Maurice and featuring Peter Inverso, president and CEO of Roma Bank; Brian Neuwirth, president of Unex Manufacturing, Inc.; Joel Naroff, chief  economist for Commerce Bank; and Michael Schweder, president of AT&T New Jersey;

• Presentation of the Leonard C. Johnson Award to Julie Holman (1:00 p.m.) of JCP&L, A First Energy Company; and

• The keynote address by Governor Jon Corzine (1:10 p.m.).

Members of the media planning to attend should contact at 609-393-7707, ext. 245.  A platform and a mult-box will be provided.