Small business owners from around the state gathered in Charleston Tuesday for the 2009 Human Resources Summit and Governor's Safety Conference sponsored by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. More than 300 people attended the event. 

Chamber President Steve Roberts says now is a very difficult time for businesses small and large. "We are headed into a period of more distress from an unemployment point of view” he predicted. “But it looks like the business cycle is really starting to recover."

Roberts says it's critical that businesses, like the state, make sure to balance their budgets at the end of the year.

"Businesses have to do the same thing,” according to Roberts. “Businesses have to be very careful and cautious in how they spend their money because they know sometimes things are good and sometimes things are bad."

The event featured speakers who handed out some good advice on doing business in a challenging economy.

But Roberts stressed West Virginia has a lot going for it. He cited unemployment below the national average and recent news of lowering workers’ compensation rates.  "Reduction in workers’ comp costs only translate to good news for working families,” he said.

Governor Joe Manchin was one of the guest speakers for the event.