Dr. Rick
Harper His career
as
an
economist
began
in
1979
at
the
Research
Triangle
Institute
in
North
Carolina,
where
he
was
involved
in
all
phases
of
various
funded
research
projects.
Rick
received
his
Ph.D.
in
Economics
from
Duke
University
in
1989
and
joined
the
faculty
at
the
University
of
West
Florida
that
same
year.
Prior
to
coming
to
UWF,
Rick
lectured
at
the
University
of
North
Carolina
at
Greensboro.
Other
academic
experience
includes
visiting
appointments
at
ESSCA,
in
Angers,
France,
the
University
of
Nottingham,
England
and
University
College,
Cork,
Ireland.
In
January
2011,
Harper
was
named
director
of
UWF's
newly
created
Office
of
Economic
Development
and
Engagement,
which
now
encompasses
the
Haas
Center
for
Business
Research
and
Economic
Development
and
the
Florida
Small
Business
Development
Network
Center.
During
his
tenure
at
UWF,
Rick
has
worked
with
Florida
businesses
and
government
leaders
on a
variety
of
business
research
and
economic
development
issues.
He
represented
Northwest
Florida
on
Governor Jeb
Bush’s
Council
of
Economic
Advisors
from
2001
-
2006.
Each
Friday
morning
and
afternoon
(6:33
a.m.
and
3:30
p.m.)
he
offers
comments
on
local,
state
and
national
economic
developments.
Do
you
have
a
question
about
the
economy
you
would
like
answered?
Send
it
to
economy@wuwf.org
