About Me
Who Am I?
Economic Education Outreach: I've been teaching economics and finance for 40 years, have published hundreds of articles in the popular and academic press, written a dozen books on the modern economy and finances, have appeared on CNBC, VICE, PBS, CBC, on CBC Radio, Radio Quebec, BBC, and in the New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, and other media outlets. I wrote a weekly column for the better part of a decade in the Plattsburgh Press-Republican ( www.pressrepublican.com ) preceding and in the aftermath of the Global Financial Meltdown. I hope you find value in my weekly efforts to explain to you complex economic subjects in easy-to-understand terms. I am also always open to hearing from you about economic issues which you would like addressed. I will do my best to work your interests into a column. Please enjoy and let me know how it works out for you.
Education: I received an Associates Degree in Arts and Sciences, followed by Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from Simon Fraser University, and a Masters of Science and Ph.D. in Economics from Queen's University. I also completed a J.D. in Law from the University of Connecticut, an M.B.A. from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a Master's of Accountancy in Taxation from the University of Tulsa. I completed two certificates as an Airframe and a Powerplant Aircraft Mechanic. I also completed the coursework and obtained a certificate in solar electric installation from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. I earned the title of Full Professor, Professor Emeritus, and Researcher of the Year at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and served as the Dean of the School of Business and Economics at the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh, where I currently reside as a Full Professor.
Public Service: After serving a term on our Clinton County legislature, I served a term as the Mayor of the City of Plattsburgh, New York, where I put in place the first integrated policies regulating the Cryptocurrency MIning industry, assembled a 50 point energy plan for the city, reversed downward spiraling finances to turn a fund deficit to a strong positive general fund surplus, all the while lowering the tax rate, and was the first mayor in the country to impose a mask-wearing order on April 2, 2020 to reverse what was then a dramatically accelerating COVID-19 infection rate. Having failed to attain a party endorsement in a COVID-restricted low turnout mail-in ballot primary, I decided to not run for reelection and returned to my beloved role of economic education. I currently teach Money and Banking, Corporate Finance, the History of Economic and Finance Thought, and Environmental and Energy Economics at SUNY. I also offer assistancr to groups trying to navigate the transition of their organizations to new economic realities and challenges.
My Interests and Hobbies: Beyond economic education and outreach, I enjoy flying and building airplanes. My wife and I also planted a vineyard and built a winery using wood harvested and milled at our property. I now enjoy its use as a hobby farm. Both our main home and farm are electricity self sufficient and rely in solar panels I installed. I enjoy working at the farm, on machinery, and with electronics of all sorts. I maintain a ham radio license under the call sign AL1K. In short, I am a hands-on nerd.