Lawrence Summers, former United States Secretary of the Treasury and current Charles W. Eliot University Professor of Harvard University, was the guest speaker at yesterday’s Greater Boston Chamber Financial Services Forum.  In the last forum of this series for 2008, Summers spoke to a room of nearly 200 Chamber members eager to learn his perspective on the financial crisis.  In order for the United States to achieve long-term prosperity, Summers called for fundamental change not only in economic policy, but in health care, energy policy, and income inequality, as well.  He predicted that the financial system could begin to bounce back in about six months and rebound in late 2009.  With that optimism, Summers said that the country has a long way to go and several issues outside of the financial crisis that must be responded to.  He stated that government policies must begin to reform an economy where benefits currently flow to the wealthy, in addition to restoring the financial system. 

This event was covered yesterday by the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and NECN.  Summers received additional press today from the Boston Globe and Boston Herald.

Don’t miss Lawrence Summers’ entire speech on 90.9 WBUR this Sunday, November 2, at 8:00pm.

Images from the event can be viewed here.

The Chamber would like to thank Citibank for their sponsorship of the Financial Services Forum.