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Panelists will address the current economy at Network Solutions® GrowSmartBiz conference on September 29, 2009, at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.

HERNDON, VA – September 23, 2009 – Small business industry experts will provide  hundreds ofsmall business owners with actionable tips and information for overcoming challenges during a recession at the GrowSmartBiz Conference, which is being hosted by Network Solutions® on Tuesday, September 29, at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC.

“The current recession has really impacted and changed the way both large and small businesses operate. What remains unchanged, however, is the extra effort small businesses must exert to succeed in the marketplace against large companies,” said Jody Keenan, director of the Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at George Mason University, School of Public Policy. “Staying Ahead in the Current Economy’ will be a valuable panel session for small businesses looking for advice on growing and succeeding despite our economic environment.”

Kennan, along with Christine Banning of SCORE, Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends, Charles Colby of Rockbridge Associates, Jake Weatherly of Palo Alto Software and Mike Reed of Paychex will serve as panelists, providing thoughts and executable strategies for surviving and growing in the current economy at the GrowSmartBiz Conference.

The GrowSmartBiz Conference is a one-day networking and conference event that will not only address how to stay ahead in the current economy, but also will feature additional panels of experts who will address the following topics:
• Driving Small Business Performance with Marketing & Innovation
• Raising Capital with Effective Finance Strategies
• Integrating Traditional Media with Social Media

“As advocates for small business, we want to provide the information and resources companies need to be successful,” said Melina Formisano, vice president of marketing for Network Solutions. “The GrowSmartBiz conference is bringing together business owners and industry experts who will share their ideas, experiences and best practices for navigating these uncertain times.”

The conference keynote addresses will be given by Chris Anderson, well-known author and editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, and U.S. Sen. Mark Warner who has 20 years experience as a business leader in the high-tech industry and was the co-founder of telecommunications firm Nextel® Communications, now known as Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S). 

To register for the GrowSmartBiz Conference or for more information about the event, please visit the conference Web site at http://tinyurl.com/gsbiz. Follow the GrowSmartBiz Conference on Twitter at @GrowSmartBiz and join the conversation by using the #growsmartbiz hashtag.