Meet Our Team

Monica Haynes, Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research and Adjunct Professor of Economics

Monica is also chair of the Labovitz School's Outreach Committee and on the Duluth Workforce Development Board. She has a Master of Science in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. In her spare time, she enjoys running, biking, cooking, and reading.

Gina Chiodi Grensing, Editor/Writer

For over 12 years, Gina has been the editor/writer for the BBER as well as the Labovitz School. She ensures that highly technical information is conveyed in relatable content for the bureau. For LSBE, she writes branded content for the school’s many mediums. She also edits faculty’s research manuscripts. Along with her UMD degree (Go Bulldogs!), Gina holds a certificate in editing. She is a nationally published content creator who finds grammar and punctuation fun.

UMD students employed at the BBER gain hands-on, real-world experience working on bureau projects. Given the significant amount of assistance that they provide on each project, their names are listed as authors on final reports. 

Ethan Ion (2024-2025) 
Ethan is a senior working toward degrees in Economics and Psychology. Combining both disciplines to try and understand how human behavior and decision-making strategies affect individuals and the economy is very interesting to him. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, reading (Tom Clancy and Lonesome Dove), playing video games (NHL, Madden), and going camping. After graduation, he will join the workforce and possibly attend graduate school down the line.

Sophia Nevills (2024-2025) 
Sophia is a senior pursuing a major in Economics along with a minor in Marketing. She is interested in learning how economic policy affects our daily lives and how our behaviors impact the economy. She will attend graduate school next year, not only to further her education but also to open career opportunities. Sophia enjoys being outdoors, running, skiing, and golfing. When she's not outside, she can be found at the gym, cooking with friends, or reading. 

The following LSBE faculty members, who have engaged in significant research partnerships with the BBER, have been designated Faculty Research Affiliates.

Kim Nichols Dauner, associate professor of Health Care and co-director of the Health Care Management Program, earned her Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. Her research interests include evaluation of community and workplace wellness programs, health care access and the impact of health care policy, social capital and social determinants of health. She has partnered with the BBER on The Assessment of Age-Friendly Workplaces in Duluth.

Lacey Loomer, assistant professor of Health Care Management, earned her Ph.D. from Brown University in Health Services Research with a concentration in Health Economics.  Her research interests include long-term care, services and supports; rural health; and Medicare payment policy. She has partnered with the BBER on The Assessment of Age-Friendly Workplaces in Duluth.

Chris McIntosh, associate professor of Economics, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming. His research interests are experimental economics along with industrial organization, environmental and natural resource economics. He has partnered with the BBER on Investigating the Potential for Distributed Solar Energy Production on Commercial Properties in the Greater Duluth, Minnesota, Area.

Neil A. Wilmot, associate professor of Economics and head of the Economics and Health Care Management department, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming. His research interests are energy economics, stochastic processes, and applied econometrics. He has partnered with the BBER on Investigating the Potential for Distributed Solar Energy Production on Commercial Properties in the Greater Duluth, Minnesota, Area.

Lin Xiu, professor of Human Resource Management, earned her Ph.D. in Industrial Relations and Human Resources from the University of Toronto. Her research interests include strategic HRM, diversity issues in the workplace and employment relations, compensation, and negotiation. She has partnered with the BBER on The Assessment of Age-Friendly Workplaces in Duluth.

The BBER partners with the University of Minnesota Extension’s Department of Community Development to provide support on community development-related research. The following Extension staff have engaged in significant research partnerships with the BBER.

John Bennett, a Community Economics Educator with the U of M Extension Department of Community Development, serves northeast Minnesota and works with communities on planning, engagement, and economic development strategies. He has a BA in Geography and Urban and Regional Studies from the U of M Duluth and a MA in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University. John has a background in public finance, community development, food access, and city and regional economics. Additionally, John was the president of Business Retention and Expansion International and has served on several local, regional, and national board associations in the community and economic development field. 

Brigid Tuck, Senior Economic Impact Analyst, U of M Extension, holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Economics. Her work focuses on the structure of local economies and on economic change in communities. She is one of the primary contacts for the BBER and Extension partnership. In addition to her work with Extension, Brigid serves on the Le Sueur-Henderson School Board.