A panel of five industry experts will discuss real estate and construction issues May 15 at the second Newsmakers’ Forum of 2008 at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park.

Presented by The Business Ledger, the forum series focuses next on the volatile construction and real estate industries with an 11:30 a.m. luncheon discussion at the club, located at 14700 S. 82nd Ave., Orland Park

“We are very pleased to offer a Newsmakers’ Forum panel in the south suburbs for the first time,” said James E. Elsener, publisher of The Business Ledger and moderator of the event. “We know there’s a lot of real estate and construction activity in this growing part of metropolitan Chicago.

“Even in a recessionary economy, real estate and construction go hand-in-hand. Without one operating in a healthy manner, there’s less chance for the other to succeed.

“The members of our panel have the hands-on experience and know-how to inform our audience how both industries can revive.”

Scheduled panelists are:

•Ed Burke, vice president, commercial real estate, Harris;

•Thomas G. Jaros, partner, Real Estate & Finance Practice Group, Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC;

•John E. Kowalski, president and owner, JEK’s Owner’s Advocate Program, Inc.;

•Jerry Lopatka, principal, Dugan & Lopatka; and

•Phil Van Duyne, vice president, Itasca Construction Associates, Inc.

Sponsors are Dugan & Lopatka, CPAs; Harris; Itasca Construction Associates; JEK’s Owner’s Advocate Program; and Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC.

The event will begin with a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. The panel discussion will start at 12:15 p.m. and the program will end on time at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets are $45. For more information, call 630-428-8788 or go to The Business Ledger Web site (www.thebusinessledger.com).

Other Newsmakers’ Forums are scheduled for early September on energy and for early December on the economic outlook for 2009.