The Speakers
Our lineup of speakers include industry and economic experts focused on the U.S. and the state of Montana.
Jeff Michael
Jeff Michael is the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Prior to joining BBER, Dr. Michael was director of Public Policy Programs and professor of Public Policy at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, executive director of the Center for Business and Policy Research in the University of the Pacific Eberhardt School of Business, and associate dean and director of the Center for Applied Business and Economic Research at Towson University (MD).
Patrick Barkey
Patrick Barkey has served as director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research since 2008. He has been involved with economic forecasting and policy research for more than 30 years, in both the private and public sectors. Before moving to Montana, he served as director of the Bureau of Business Research at Ball State University in Indiana for 14 years. He holds a B.A. and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan.
Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher is an associate extension specialist and extension family and consumer science program leader at Montana State University. He holds a master’s degree in applied economics from Montana State University. His research and outreach programs focus on consumer economics, agricultural finance and rural economics. He has authored or co-authored more than two dozen educational guides and presented more than 300 educational outreach programs.
Samuel Scott
Samuel Scott is a Forest Economist with the Bureau’s Forest Industry Research Program. He holds a B.S. (University of Montana) in Forestry and an M.S. (Virginia Tech) in Forest Economics. Prior to the Bureau, Sam served as an Economist at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and worked in timber and silviculture with both the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. His primary research interests are statistical timber appraisal methods, employment and income impacts of the forest products industry across the West, and bioeconomic modeling.
Derek Sheehan
Derek Sheehan is an Economist with the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER). Derek Sheehan joined the Bureau as an Economist in 2021. He holds a MA in economics from the University of Montana and holds a BA in economics from Virginia Tech. Before attending UM, Derek served as an Agroforestry Specialist in Peace Corps Senegal. Derek’s research interests include applied econometrics, natural resource economics, health economics, real estate, and spatial statistics.
Melissa Weddell
Melissa Weddell is the director of the Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research at the University of Montana. She holds a Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University, an MBA from Southern Illinois University, and an undergraduate degree in Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship from Ball State University. She formerly served as the department chair and professor of Recreation Management at Appalachian State University.
Keynote Speaker
Paul Gladen
Paul Gladen is Associate Vice President for Research & Economic Development and the Director of Accelerate Montana, the University of Montana’s portfolio of economic and workforce development programs. Prior to joining the University of Montana, Paul was a small business owner in Montana, having previously worked for nearly 20 years in the global accounting and consulting industry.
Paul is a co-founder of the Montana Code School and the Hellgate Venture Network, an entrepreneurial networking group. He also serves on the Board of the Missoula Economic Partnership and was the 2017 Montana Ambassador Educator of the Year.
Originally from England, Paul has an MA in Mathematics from Oxford University and an MBA from Manchester Business School.