LISA DISSELKAMP Metro Business asked Lisa Disselkamp, president of Athena Enterprises, a Chesterfield County-based work-force management technology consulting firm, and author of two books, including “No Boundaries,“ about managing payroll costs: “Business leaders today are looking for sources for profit and productivity. “While they may realize labor spending is one of the largest line-item expenses, it is often one of the most undermanaged costs.

STEVE KIMBALL Metro Business talked to Steve Kimball, managing director of Tuscan Advisors, a Henrico County-based business consulting firm. He also is a member of the Richmond Venture Forum, a group that brings together venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. He was asked about the status of entrepreneurs: “Entrepreneurs are America’s competitive advantage. In the last 20 years, they created 80 percent of the jobs. They are the real job creators.

CRAIG BUTTERWORTH Metro Business asked Craig Butterworth, spokesman for the National White Collar Crime Center, the Henrico County-based organization that provides cybercrime training to law-enforcement agencies, what consumers can do to protect themselves from Internet fraud. “Some of the things that consumers can do to protect themselves from online fraud include updating their firewalls and security software. That can go a very long way in helping keep the bad guys out of their machines.

TINH PHAN Metro Business asked Tinh Phan, an Ashland businessman who serves as the chairman of the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce, about how the recession has affected Asian businesses: “The Asian businesses throughout the commonwealth of Virginia [have] encountered a lot of difficulties and hardship during this economic downturn.

G. GILMER MINOR III Metro Business talked to G. Gilmer Minor III, chairman of medical-products distributor Owens & Minor Inc. He chairs Junior Achievement of Central Virginia’s Empowered Through Ethics program in which more than 150 local executives will talk about ethics in area schools this week. Minor was asked about the importance of teaching ethics: “Teaching ethics in high school and education is a moral obligation of our society to help those who make the decisions, who are the potential future for our country, to know that leading an ethical life is important.

TOM GALLAGHER Metro Business asked Tom Gallagher, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia Inc., how consumers can protect themselves: “Now is the time, more than anytime that I’ve seen in my career, when consumers have to be very sure about the transactions we enter into and how we can protect ourselves and take advantage of all of the rights and protection that we have.

BRIAN GLASS Metro Business asked Brian Glass, senior vice president at Grubb & Ellis/Harrison & Bates Inc., about the status of the retail commercial real estate market: “With regards to leasing, we have seen rates drop in the past year approximately 11 percent. We’ve seen vacancy rates go up from 5.9 percent to 7 percent. And we’ve seen a lot of tenant lease renegotiations.

TROY FLAHERTY Metro Business asked Troy Flaherty, the mid-Atlantic regional vice president of purchasing for Goochland County-based CarMax Inc., about what should consumers keep in mind when car shopping: “I think the first thing you should consider when you’re purchasing a new or used vehicle is that it is big-ticket item, so we suggest you start with online research to determine which vehicle meets your needs and your lifestyle.

ROBERT TRUMBLE Metro Business asked Robert R. Trumble, director of the Virginia Labor Studies Center at Virginia Commonwealth University and a professor of management at VCU and former dean of its business school, about future labor trends: “Some of the major trends in labor are the aging of the labor force. This isn’t just in the United States but it’s true in all of the developed counties in the world.

Metro Business asked Bonnie Shelor, senior vice president of human resources at Bon Secours Richmond Health System, about trends in benefits and recruiting.

SUZY SZASZ PALMER Metro Business asked Suzy Szasz Palmer, deputy librarian at the Library of Virginia, if libraries are still relevant to our everyday lives in this Google, Facebook and Twitter world: “Libraries are still very important today even in the digital world, which encompasses Google and other social networking sites. It is because of two things.

JANE WATKINS Metro Business asked Jane Watkins, president and chief executive officer of the Virginia Credit Union, about the significance of financial education, especially given the current economic conditions: “I have always felt financial education was critically important, and I think what we are seeing in the economy right now is a fallout from the lack of that education.

Metro Business asked Nancy Thomas, president and CEO of the Retail Merchants Association, about the benefits of the tax-free weekend that begins Friday: “Retailers who have the most success with the tax-free holiday are those who combine the 5 percent tax savings with other promotional offers. “All retailers have the opportunity to participate by absorbing the 5 percent sales tax on nonexempt items such as furniture, appliance, electronics and jewelry. Our retail merchant member have seen double-digit sales increase due to this event.

CHIP FARMER Metro Business asked Chip Farmer, the executive director of RichTech (formerly called the Greater Richmond Technology Council), about what the future holds for the local tech industry: “Certainly the technology sector has not been immune to the current economic challenges that we are facing. “But I do believe that technology is going to be the catalyst that pulls us out of this.

JACK BERRY Metro Business asked Jack Berry, president and CEO of the Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, about the area’s tourism industry this summer and fall: “We’ve had a good news-bad news kind of year. “The challenge for this year has been the increase of hotel inventory: We’ve had a 13 percent [increase] in the hotel inventory in the region. And with the economy being as it is, it is a bit of a challenge. “However, we do have a lot of good news to report: record attraction attendance. For example, Lewis Ginter [Botanical Garden] on July 4—the biggest single day of attendance. Then we had the Virginia Historical Society—best June ever. Same thing with the Children’s Museum. “What’s happening is that people are becoming tourists in their own backyards, which is wonderful for the attractions.“ Watch the interview with Jack Berry on TimesDispatch.com. Keyword: Metro Business