The U.S. and global economies are feeling the fallout of the credit crisis. How long will we be waiting for things to thaw? What is the recession outlook for the coming year? And how does the economic turmoil affect you and your personal financial decisions? In this edition of Smith Business Close-Upwith the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Dr. Albert “Pete” Kyle discusses the outlook for an economy in turmoil.

College Park, Md. – October 24, 2008 – TheLogistics, Transportation and Supply Chain Management (LTSCM) Society and the Supply Chain Club (SCC) of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business today named Rick D. Blasgen, president and chief executive officer of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), as the 2008 “Person of the Year.” The award is presented annually to an influential leader in the logistics, supply chain or transportation industries.

College Park, MD – October 13, 2008 – This year’s annual conference from the Institute for Operations Research and The Management Sciences (INFORMS), the largest professional society in the world for professionals in the field of operations research (O.R.), is significantly influenced by contributions from University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Smith School Dean G. “Anand” Anandalingam and Professor Michael Ball serve as the program co-chairs. The INFORMS 2008 Annual Meeting, held Oct.

College Park, Md. – October 10, 2008 – University of Maryland students and their parents selected Mark Wellman, Tyser Teaching Fellow at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, with the 2008 Outstanding Faculty Educator Award. The award is presented each year by the Maryland Parents Association to honor a faculty member who demonstrates a deep commitment to providing an exemplary education experience for students.

College Park, Md. – Oct. 2, 2008 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business hosts the 17th annual Frontiers in Service Conference, Oct. 2-5. Considered the world’s leading annual international conference on service research, this year’s conference will draw attendees from around the globe.

In the final days of the campaign battle, U.S. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, the respective Republican and Democratic nominees, have established their distinctive leadership styles. What leadership traits will the country’s next chief executive need to lead the U.S. in these troubled economic times?

With a turbulent economy, the volatile financial industry, escalating energy prices, and a presidential election in the balance, uncertainty looms large. How do you formulate strategy when you don’t know what will happen next? In the midst of a changing economy, most executives continue to use a strategy toolkit designed for yesterday’s more stable marketplace. As a result, strategies emerge that neither manage the risks nor take advantage of the opportunities that arise in highly uncertain times.

As Congress and federal regulators scramble to shore up U.S. financial institutions, leading business school faculty and staff are working to understand the evolving situation and explain it to students and alumni. Leaders at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are helping the Smith community navigate the financial crisis. More than 200 students, faculty and staff packed Frank Auditorium in the school’s Van Munching Hall on Friday, Sept. 26 for a town-hall meeting to discuss the market meltdown, the bailout plan and the fallout rocking the U.S. economy.

It has been over a year since the credit crunch started. The effects continue to ripple through the economy. The housing market is dismal and the Federal Reserve has resorted to extraordinary measures to prop up the banking industry. The number of big corporate mergers is down sharply. Deals getting done these days are largely financed with money from overseas or from companies using their own funds. What are the lessons learned and what will be the ultimate outcomes?

The State of Maryland has recently been cited as No. 2 in the nation as a source of economic growth and the Smith School’s Center for Human Capital, Innovation and Technology (HCIT) is an important contributing driver.