MILWAUKEE – Building on the momentum of three previous economic summits, the University of Wisconsin System today unveiled plans to host a fourth statewide economic development meeting to advance the state’s economy.

Wisconsin Economic Summit IV will be held Oct. 27-28, 2003, at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee. The announcement was made during the June meeting of the UW System Board of Regents, held at UW-Milwaukee.

UW System President Katharine C. Lyall said one of the primary goals of this year’s summit is to dramatically increase participation by the private sector.

“We believe that more substantial private sector participation in these important economic development discussions will accelerate Wisconsin’s economic progress,” Lyall said. She added that Robert W. Baird & Co. will serve as a co-sponsor of this year’s summit. The Bradley Foundation will be a key supporter as well, she said.

“We consider these affiliations a strong endorsement of the economic summits and their value for our state,” Lyall said. “We are asking government, business and education leaders to follow their lead and pledge to take an active role in Economic Summit IV.”

In addition to workshops on a number of critical issues, Lyall indicated that Economic Summit IV will include two important panel presentations on regional economic development and health care.

“We anticipate the group of experts working on these issues will present some very robust, and valuable, assessments,” Lyall added.

For further information about Economic Summit IV, visit the UW System website athttp://www.wisconsin.edu/summit/ or contact UW System Economic Summit Coordinator Laurie Dies at (608) 262-6448 or ldies@uwsa.edu.