THE 90th ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM

An institution with a long history should pause from time to time to take stock. This serves several important purposes. It helps the agency review where it has been, discern the general trajectory of thought over the years, identify the issues of enduring importance, and refine its strategy for pursuing those goals more effectively in the future.

With these things in mind the FTC convened a two-day Symposium on the occasion of its 90th birthday. That brought together a wide range of people who were well qualified to comment on the agency’s work. The included a member of the original Nader’s Raiders, past and present career officials of the FTC, members of the antitrust and consumer protection bars, and all of the current Commissioners.

• The agenda and list of substantive panels - The Symposium agenda also provides further links to the transcripts and to individual papers.
  
  
• The event brochure - This booklet from the symposium gives biographies of the speakers, a short history of the FTC, and a description of the agency's historic building.
  
  
• Agency history - These pages provides further background information about the legislative history and the early years of the agency.