Treasurer Lemoine to Host National Association of State Treasurers' Conference

August 6, 2008

(AUGUSTA) - State Treasurer David Lemoine will host the 2008 annual conference of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) at the Samoset Resort in Rockport from August 17-21. The conference is expected to bring more than 40 state treasurers along with state treasury staff and private sector finance professionals to Maine to discuss current policies and best practices. More than 300 participants are expected to attend.

"This is the premier annual meeting for state treasurers," said Lemoine, "and I am pleased that NAST is bringing the event to Maine." The conference program features several prominent speakers. Among them are Senator George J. Mitchell, former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Arthur Levitt, Jr., Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne and corporate governance activist Robert Monks. Session topics will include managing funds in an uncertain economic environment, credit risk assessment, corporate accountability, protecting the integrity of public pensions and fair credit rating scales for state bond issuances.

"State Treasurers are sharing insights with each other all the time," said Lemoine, "but this annual event has proven to be the most productive way to expand upon these exchanges and to benefit from the work being done by public finance professionals around the nation."

Maine last hosted the NAST annual event in 1986. The conference is expected to generate approximately $1.3 million for the Maine economy.

For more information on the NAST conference, please contact Deputy State Treasurer Barbara Raths at barbara.raths@maine.gov. The program may be seen in detail online.