While New England companies forecast declining growth rates overall, the region may outpace the U.S. GDP forecast, which is projected to decline 1 percent in 2009, according to a new survey of 140 local companies conducted by The Bostonian Group and Wilson Group.

Sixty-three percent of companies forecast some revenue growth for this year, the study, titled "Changes for Challenging Times," reveals. More telling is the reduction in the number of companies that expect revenue to decline; this dropped from 34 percent in 2008 to 28 percent in 2009. And several industries expect above average growth this year including life sciences, technology, health care and education, which together form a strong foundation for the New England economy.

"The last major recession, the bursting of the tech bubble in 2001-2002, left New England’s companies in disarray," said Jim Blue, chairman and CEO, The Bostonian Group. "This survey shows that CEOs are making decisions that will make or break their businesses, and the amount of confidence and direction in the execution of those decisions is critical to their success. Overall, the survey shows that while New England certainly feels the downturn of the economy, companies are in a very good position to weather the storm if they take the appropriate actions to protect themselves."