I am an economics professor in the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University, where I have taught since August 2013. Prior to joining Troy, I served as an assistant professor of economics at Mercer University. I received my Ph.D. in economics from West Virginia University in 2012, an M.A. in economics from Central Michigan University, and a B.A. in economics from Hillsdale College in 2005.

My research interests include applied institutional analysis, U.S. state and local public finance, entrepreneurship, economic regulation, political economy, and fiscal federalism. My research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Comparative Economics, Journal of Macroeconomics, Journal of Regulatory Economics, Kyklos, Public Choice, Journal of Institutional Economics, and Business and Politics, among others. I am currently Co-Editor of Essays in Economic and Business History and actively support the economics profession through scholarship and service. My full curriculum vitae is available in the featured section.

In addition to academic research and teaching, I engage in public scholarship and policy commentary. My insights have been featured in a range of national and regional media outlets, including CNN, the Wall Street Journal, and Investopedia, as well as prominent Alabama-based platforms such as AL.com, WSFA-TV, Alabama Public Television, and the Montgomery Advertiser. Through these contributions, I aim to make economics accessible and relevant to the broader public while informing debates on economic policy, regulation, and public finance.

View my academic profiles on LinkedIn, Google Scholar, SSRN, ResearchGate, and RePEc. These profiles include my publications, working papers, citation metrics, and current research in economics, regulation, public finance, and political economy.