Business leaders in New England are cautiously optimistic about the local and national economies, according to a new survey conducted by the National Association of Corporate Directors New England Chapter (NACD New England).

Seventy-eight percent of the boardroom directors and other business leaders surveyed believe that the national economy will recover either significantly or slightly within the next 12 to 24 months. Only five percent believe the economy will worsen, and 16 percent expect it to remain the same, the survey said.

NACD New England’s 2009 Leadership Survey on Economic & Corporate Governance Trends surveyed 145 business leaders who serve on corporate or nonprofit boards or hold other leadership positions at New England companies regarding the economy, as well as corporate governance issues including risk management, government oversight and boardroom diversity.

"NACD members represent some of the region’s most influential business leaders, and they are optimistic about the national economy," said NACD New England Chapter President William A. Earon. "Even more encouraging, the prevailing sentiment is that New England’s economy is stronger and will recover from the recession faster than the nation’s as a whole. These findings have positive implications for everyone who lives or does business in our region."

Sixty-three percent of the survey respondents believe the New England economy is stronger than the national economy, as opposed to 20 percent who see little difference between the two and 11 percent who feel the national economy is stronger than the economy in the region.

The survey respondents also expect New England to recover from the recession before the rest of the country, with 42 percent stating a belief that the New England economy will recover faster than the national economy. An additional 34 percent said they expect the two economies to recover at the same pace, and just 15 percent see New England lagging the national economy in recovering from the recession.

"These leaders who have a close pulse on business in this region seem confident in the New England economy’s ability to rebound from this recession," said Ronald Skates, former president and CEO of Data General Corp. and a member of the NACD New England Chapter’s board of directors.