Bureau of Business and Economic Research at UNM Staff Credentials

Staff Credentials

Jack Baker, Research Scientist II

B.A. (Anthropology), University of North Dakota, 2000
M.S. Anthropology (Human Evolutionary Ecology), University of New Mexico, 2002
Ph.D. Anthropology (Physiological Ecology and Biodemography), University of New Mexico, 2007

Jack came to BBER in 2005, joining the Population Estimates Program. Since that time, he has participated in a wide variety of research projects while coordinating a broad research agenda on population estimates methodologies with a special emphasis on small area population estimates and spatially-explicit population models. Since 2006, Jack has served as the State representative to the Federal/State Cooperative Program on Population Estimates (FSCPE), and as Vice-Chair of the Federal/State Cooperative Program on Population Projections (2007), of which he is currently Chair (2008).

Most recently, Jack was co-principal investigator for the state-level participation in the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program and served as an expert advisor to the Census Bureau's Housing Unit-Based Estimation Research Team (HUBERT). Currently, Jack is serving on the 2010 Demographic Full Count Review Committee, has assumed primary responsibility for the Population Estimates Program at BBER, and is pursuing further research and projects in small-area population estimation.

Doleswar Bhandari, Research Scientist II

B.Sc. (Agriculture), Tribhuwan University, Nepal, 1992
M.M. (Agribusiness Management), University of Philippines, 1997
M.S. (Agricultural Economics), Louisiana State University, 2003
Ph.D.(ABD)(Agricultural Economics), University of Missouri, 2008

Doleswar joined BBER in 2008. His interest areas are regional economic modeling, spatial econometrics, economic impact analysis and forecasting.

Molly Bleecker, Research Scientist I

B.A. (Russian and Soviet Studies), University of North Dakota, 1991
M.A. (Anthropology), University of Montana, 2000

Molly has been with BBER since 2005, during which time she has contributed to various projects by assisting in project planning and execution. In particular, Molly contributed to the research for The Role of Arts and Cultural Industries in Albuquerque-Bernalillo County; the Santa Fe Living Wage 2005 and 2007 follow-up studies; and the 2005-2007 Community Economic Assessments for New Mexico's MainStreet programs. Before joining BBER, Molly taught in the Introductory Studies Department at UNM and in the Educational and Career Advancement Dept. at CNM. She has completed graduate coursework at UNM in the Sociology and Education departments.

Larry Compton, Library Information Specialist III

B.S. (Education), Northern Arizona University, 1981
Master of Library Science, University of Arizona, 1984
M.Ed. (Foreign Language Education), University of Georgia, 1990

Larry has over 20 years of work experience in library and information services. He has been at the BBER Data Bank since 2003, answering data requests from students, faculty, and the general public; assisting with BBER research projects; maintaining the library collection; creating metadata and indexing and abstracting BBER reports submitted to the DSpaceUNM digital archive; and automating the library, adding materials into the LIBROS online catalog.

Prior to coming to BBER, Larry worked as a librarian at the University of Arizona, the University of Georgia, and Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; helped create the National Environmental Respiratory Center Internet web site; managed a nuclear engineering library at Sandia National Laboratories; and ran an information consulting home business.

Betsy Eklund, Group Administrator

B.S. (Elementary Education), University of New Mexico, 2004

Betsy came to BBER in 1999 as a student employee in the Bureau’s Data Bank. After graduation in 2004, Betsy took on more of an administrative role eventually becoming the Group Administrator in 2007. Since that time she has handled the day-to-day administration of the Institute of Applied Research Services. Betsy will be receiving an M.B.A. with a concentration in Accounting frum UNM in December 2008.

Kevin Kargacin, Senior Program Manager

B.A. (Economics and Political Science), University of New Mexico, 1976
M.A. (Economics), University of New Mexico, 1982

Kevin has been with BBER since 1983, starting as a staff economist in the Bureau's Data Bank and becoming the Data Bank manager and head of information services in 1984. Kevin continues in this position to the present. Before joining BBER Kevin was an executive budget analyst with the New Mexico Dept. of Finance and Administration in FY 1982-1983.

Kevin answers information requests from data users, makes presentations to UNM classes and data user groups on sources and uses of socioeconomic data, edits and writes articles for the BBER monthly newsletter, New Mexico Business-Current Economic Report, manages contracts that involve the compilation of socioeconomic data for private or government sector entities, and oversees the Data Bank's reference collection. Kevin also manages aspects of two state-funded Research and Public Service Projects-the Resource Geographic Information System (RGIS) and Census Dissemination and Demographic Analysis programs. The RGIS Program, led by UNM's Earth Data Analysis Center, promotes the use of GIS technology and makes available a variety of geographic-based information through its Clearinghouse. The Census Dissemination and Demographic Analysis program aims to improve the usefulness of U.S. Census Bureau data, ensure widespread dissemination and understanding of the data, and expand the core socioeconomic and demographic research at BBER. Since 1988, Kevin has also served as a principal point of contact with the Census Bureau in the New Mexico State Data Center/Business and Industry Data Center (SDC/BIDC) Program.

Jeffrey Mitchell, Senior Research Scientist

B.A. (Economics & Political Science), University of Pennsylvania, 1982
M.A., Ph.D. (Economic Geography), Clark University, 1996

Jeff has been with BBER since 2003, where his focus has been community and regional economic development. At BBER, he has been principal investigator on a number of projects, including The Role of Arts and Cultural Industries in Albuquerque-Bernalillo County; The Importance of Arts & Cultural Industries to the Community of Santa Fe; Community Economic Assessments for New Mexico's MainStreet programs (20 studies); Socioeconomic Assessments of New Mexico's National Forests (6 studies); The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Organizations in New Mexico; and The Impact of Native American Casinos on the Restaurant Industry in New Mexico.

Before joining BBER, Jeff taught in the geography departments of UNM and NMSU. He conducted his doctoral research as a Fulbright Fellow in Venezuela, and has published in various scholarly journals, including Economic Geography, Urban Geography and Applied Geography.

Xiaomin Ruan, Research Scientist II

B.E. Manufacturing of Polymer Materials, Chengdu University of Science & Technology, 1993
M.A. Economics (Macroeconomics), Sichuan University, 1999
M.A. & Ph.D.(ABD) Economics (Econometrics), University of New Mexico, 2008

Xiaomin Ruan has been with BBER since 2005. His current focus includes county and sub-county area population projections, geospatial integrated population projection and forecasting, and community economic development. Xiaomin has also served as a state representative to the Federal/State Cooperative Population Projection Program (FSCPP) since 2006.

Xiaomin was a chief researcher on the recent Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Program, and is now a chief researcher on the Update of New Mexico County Population Projection Program in 2008. He also serves as a data and network security manager within the Population Estimation Program (PEP). His other research interests include local health care, schooling, and water resource reservation issues and he has completed work on several reports on these topics.

Daren Ruiz, Research Scientist

B.S. (Statistics), University of New Mexico, 2004
M.A. (Economics), University of New Mexico, 2006

Daren has been with BBER since 2005, where he has conducted economic impact and fiscal analyses. For the Lea County Community Improvement Corporation project, he provided the economic impact analysis of the proposed construction and operation of the National Enrichment Facility / Louisiana Energy Services and a 550 Mega Watt Power Plant. He also provided the economic impact analysis of changes in medical expenditures in rural and urban areas that would be caused by various health insurance proposals for the Health Coverage for New Mexicans projects. He provided fiscal analysis to the South Valley Incorporation Feasibility study by estimating gross receipt and property tax revenues that would accrue to the South Valley. Daren also was the principal investigator on the Status of Nurses in New Mexico study and on the Recent Population Dynamics of Nurses in New Mexico study.

Karma Shore, Economist

A.A. (Liberal Arts), Northern New Mexico College, 1983

Karma Shore has been with BBER since 1988. She works in the Bureau's Data Bank where she assists with contractual research projects, maintains databases both internally and on BBER's web site, answers information requests from the public and University community, makes presentations about Census Bureau and other data sources, and organizes the annual SDC/BIDC Affiliates Meeting and New Mexico Data Users Conference. She also works on BBER's monthly publication New Mexico Business, Current Economic Report, and is the organization's web site technician. Karma has been the Business and Industry Data Center (BIDC) program coordinator in New Mexico since 1997.

Larry Waldman, Senior Research Scientist

B.S. (Mathematics), University of New Mexico, 1968
Ph.D. (Economics), University of New Mexico, 1981

Larry has been with BBER since 1988, where he has spent most of his time managing the FOR-UNM Economic Forecasting Service. He produces an economic forecast of the New Mexico economy each quarter, which is distributed to clients of the service. He also publishes an economic forecasting newsletter, The FOR-UNM Bulletin, which is available to the public on a subscription basis.

Larry writes four or five articles annually relating to the New Mexico economy for publication in New Mexico Business, Current Economic Report, the BBER monthly economic update newsletter. In addition, he also writes press releases, does numerous interviews for radio and TV, and makes a dozen or so personal appearances each year, explaining recent developments in and the outlook for the New Mexico economy, to professional, civic, and governmental audiences.

Larry also is a principal investigator for and contributor to various research projects including poverty in New Mexico, welfare reform, New Mexico economic history, water use, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), biotechnology in New Mexico, and the New Mexico aviation industry.

Richard Zimmerman, Economist

B.A. (Economics), University of New Mexico, 1984

Richard has worked at BBER since 1985. During this time he has managed and authored several research studies and contributed to many others. In recent years, he has worked on Federal Highway Administration annual data reports for the New Mexico Transportation Dept. He managed quarterly data collecting and reporting of cost of living data for Albuquerque. He authored a study of the revenue contribution of the oil and gas industry in the San Juan Basin. Richard contributed to other studies as well, including: Santa Fe Living Wage, Socioeconomic Assessments of New Mexico National Forests, and southeast New Mexico economic studies. In prior years, he conducted research studies focusing on New Mexico's labor force and local and regional economies. Richard also worked on a variety of research topics, such as economic impact, environment, arts, cost of living, aging services, and socioeconomics of disadvantaged and special groups.