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Gary Smith, Ph.D.
Director & President
Gary Smith, Ph.D.
Gary Smith is the author and developer of the Regional Economic Analysis Project (REAP) websites. He launched the first rendition of the website in 1997 under a different moniker (Northwest Income Indicators Project or NIIP) when he was on the faculty of the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University. Smith's research has focused on assessing the ever changing economic conditions and trends of regional and rural economies, especially those throughout the West and Northwest.
Over his career Gary has been highly active and involved in the major economics organizations within the Northwest. Over the decade 2000-2010 he served five two-year terms as president of the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference (PNREC). In 2006, Gary was the president of the Seattle Economist Club (SEC), the regional chapter of the National Association of Business Economics (NABE). He served as a member of the Washington State Governor's Council of Economic Adivsors during the Booth Gardner and Mike Lawry administrations.
Dr. Smith, Professor Emeritus 2006, was on the faculty of the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University from 1983 until his retirement at the conclusion of 2006. Having garnered the copyrights to the Northwest Income Indicators Project, at the outset of 2007 Gary took the project private and renamed it the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). In 2008 Gary founded PNREAP as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation headquartered in Washington state.
A history buff, Gary double majored in history and economics at U.C. Davis where he received his BA. Thereafter, the dismal science beckoned. Gary received his MS and Ph.D. degrees in economics respectively from U.C.L.A. and Oregon State University.
Contact Information for Dr. Smith
Director and President
PNW Regional Ecnomic Analysis Project
2102 36th Place SE
Puyallup, WA 98374
Phone: (253) 219-6604
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