Business & Economic Research Center
What We Do
Center Activities
- Studies—economic impact, feasibility, emerging industries
- Analysis—competitiveness, industry clusters
- Research—labor market, international business
- Economic outlook—modeling/forecasting
- Public speaking—community-oriented lectures
- Publications
- Data center for faculty research
- Affiliate of Tennessee State Data Center
Selected Clients
- Nashville Health Care Council
- Tennessee Department of Labour and Workforce Development
- Tennessee Small Business Development Center
- Wilson County, Office of the Mayor
- Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association
- Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce
- Cumberland University
- Austin Peay State University
- Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee
- Tennessee Housing Development Agency
History
The “Business Research Center” was established in 1970. The first director was Dr. Douglas Hodo, hired by School of Business and Economics Dean Firman Cunningham. The first office was in what later became a custodial closet under the first floor stairwell in the northeast corner of Peck Hall.
BERC Directors
- Dr. Douglas Hodo.
- Dr. Claude Simpson.
- Dr. Paul Hendershot (1973). He changed the center’s name to Business and Economic Research Center and in 1974 began publication of the bimonthly journal Tennessee’s Business.
- Dr. Gary Hall, Department of Economics and Finance.
- Dr. Horace Johns, Business Law professor, Department of Accounting.
- Dr. Reuben Kyle (1991). Department of Economics and Finance.
- Dr. Albert DePrince (1999). Department of Economics and Finance.
- Dr. David Penn (2002). Department of Economics and Finance.
- Dr. Murat Arik (2014, interim; 2015, permanent). Department of Management.