Bureau of Business Research
The Bureau of Business Research (BBR) at East Carolina University is housed in the College of Business and provides business leaders, communities and policymakers with insightful research to transform eastern North Carolina into a stronger, sustainable and more resilient region.
Subject Matter Expertise
- Branding and marketing
- Business finance and planning
- Data analytics
- Economic impact and profiling
- Hospitality industry and trends
- Labor workforce and development
- Leadership
- Retail market analysis
- Risk management
- Supply chain
Reports and White Papers

Economic Update
James W. Kleckley, PhD
Senior Economic Advisor
Susanna Z. Miesel, MPP Policy Analyst
January 2023
Meet Our Team

Director of Bureau of Business Research,
Associate Professor, Marketing & Supply Chain Management
NC Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) Liaison
252-737-4342 | rowew@ecu.edu | 2313 Bate Building
Expertise: Blockchain and other innovative technologies in business, business-to-business marketing, buyer-seller relationships, organizational routines and sales processes, retail and economic development, sales and marketing channels, supply chain risk management
Dr. Jason Rowe is an associate professor in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management and the director of the Bureau of Business Research in the College of Business at East Carolina University.Rowe connects industry and government leaders across North Carolina with the talented faculty at ECU, who then leverage their vast expertise to transform eastern North Carolina into a stronger, sustainable, and more resilient region.

Dr. Dennis Barber III
Acting Director & Associate Professor Miller School of Entrepreneurship
252-328-6595
barberde17@ecu.edu
Expertise: rural Entrepreneurship, economic development, innovation & opportunity assessment

Dr. John Drake
Associate Professor,
Department of Management Information Systems
252-737-4566
drakejo@ecu.edu
Expertise: eCommerce strategy, Digital platforms, Privacy, IS Governance, and IS Strategy

W. Kurt Fickling, CRM, CIC, CRIS
Teaching Instructor,
Department of Finance
252-737-1567
ficklingw@ecu.edu
Expertise: risk identification, risk management, risk financing
Chip Galusha, M.B.A
Teaching Instructor,
Leadership and Professional Development Program
galusham16@ecu.edu
Expertise: leadership, followership and professional development

TD Gribble, M.B.A
Teaching Instructor,
Leadership and Professional Development Program
252-737-2332
gribblea@ecu.edu
Expertise: leadership, professional development, workplace culture

Dr. Jon Kirchoff
Associate Professor & Chair,
Department of Marketing &
Supply Chain Management
252-737-4569
kirchoffj@ecu.edu
Expertise: supply chain management, global sourcing, environmentally-responsible supply chain practices

Dr. James Kleckley
Professor Emeritus
kleckleyj@ecu.edu
Expertise: economics, economic development, housing market, and labor market

Dr. Christine Kowalczyk
Associate Professor,
Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management
252-737-4572
kowalczykc@ecu.edu
Expertise: branding, non-traditional advertising and public policy work

Dr. John Kros
Professor, Vincent K. McMahon Distinguished Professor of Marketing and Supply Chain Management
252-328-6364
krosj@ecu.edu
Expertise: supply chain, simulation/process analysis, quality

Dr Ericka R. Lawrence
Associate Professor
Department of Management
252-737-4604
lawrencee@ecu.edu
Expertise: ethics, coping with stress/burnout, and leadership

Dr. Patrick F. McKay
Professor
Department of Management
252-328-1263
mckaypa22@ecu.edu
Expertise: diversity, organizational climate, and business-unit performance

Dana Newell, M.S., M.B.A
Teaching Instructor of Marketing, Department of Marketing &
Supply Chain Management
252-328-9871
newelld21@ecu.edu
Expertise: marketing communications, digital advertising, social media, and SEO strategy

Dr. Thomas Robbins
Associate Professor,
Department of Marketing &
Supply Chain Management
252-328-6588
robbinst@ecu.edu
Expertise: data analytics, forecasting and inventory management

Danica Spriggs, M.A
Teaching Instructor
252-737-1541
spriggsd16@ecu.edu
Expertise: personnel management, operations management, leadership, and small business ownership

Dr. Erik Taylor
Assistant Professor,
Department of Management
252-737-1858
taylore17@ecu.edu
Expertise: human resource management, team building
What You’ll Find
Public and private decision-makers need relevant information and actionable data about the business environment across North Carolina. We regularly publish reports summarizing sponsored research studies and distribute data and research findings throughout the state.
How We Do it
Our diverse and talented research faculty can address a wide array of industry-specific challenges from economic development to supply chain management. We also provide scholars with practical opportunities to conduct applied business research.