Bob Figgins is Professor of Economics at the University of Tennessee at Martin where he has taught economics courses for the last 40 years. He served as Chairman of the Economics and Finance Department up until four years ago when he returned to a full-time teaching/research assignment with the university. For 35 years Dr. Figgins has been Senior Editor of the Journal of Business and Economic Perspectives. Currently his research interests include public policy effectiveness and economic development. He earned his Ph.D in Economics at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. His email is bfiggins@utm.edu.