George M. Vredeveld, PhD - Alpaugh Professor and Director
George Vredeveld is the Alpaugh Professor of Economics at the University of Cincinnati and the founder and Director of its Economics Center, which has been recognized as the top center of more than two hundred centers nationwide.
Dr. Vredeveld has received awards and recognitions for his work in the study of labor markets and urban policy as well as in the field of economic education.
Currently he oversees the applied research work at the Economics Center which conducts economic studies and provides data analysis for businesses, as well as not-for-profit and governmental organizations.
Dr. Vredeveld’s recent research is focused on factors that affect regional economic development, including education, tax policy, and the quality of the labor market. His work often informs governments about the expected economic benefits of development policies, strategies, and projects, including the fiscal impact it can have on the community, including the government. Over the past ten years, he has conducted or supervised more than 120 applied economic studies.
His other commitments have included consulting in several foreign countries on economic transformation and development issues and the development of economic knowledge among present and future leaders.
Prior to his appointment at the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Vredeveld was the Director of the Center for Economic Education and Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri. Dr. Vredeveld received his Ph.D. in economics from Indiana University, his Master’s Degree from Purdue University, and his baccalaureate from Calvin College. He sits on the board of several economic organizations.
“The Economics Center has proven to be a great partner and an excellent resource to Cadmus. Their knowledge about the local community and economy—coupled with their analytic capabilities—have been important components of our evaluation and very well received by our client. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the Center.”- 
George’s major focus areas are regional economics and human capital. With his colleagues at the Economics Center, he continues to apply lessons learned in those fields to economic development and workforce development.
“We needed to communicate the value of our institution in the local community and the Economics Center’s economic impact analysis helped us accomplish that goal. They were very easy to work with and met our expectations. We will certainly utilize their services for economic analysis in the future and would recommend them to others.”- 
Jennifer’s work includes analyzing individual and household decision-making, factors that influence as well as the economic and fiscal impacts of those decisions. - 
Jeff has worked with leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, designing and implementing economic development and research projects in response to diverse community issues.
“We're very pleased with the results of this study. Often times, when people think about arts and culture organizations, they do not take into account the economic benefits that come with the educational and entertainment benefits. That was one of our main goals when commissioning this project." 
“The Economics Center brings analytical expertise and valuable insights that helps our clients to develop and, then, communicate key messages. The research team understands we are in a world increasingly dependent on data for decision making. The Center is an important partner in our business and a valuable resource to our community.” - 
“As a research-based organization, Cincinnati Works relies heavily on the type of data and analysis the Economic Center provides. Their ability to analyze economic trends and assess the impact they have on job seekers and workforce development is valuable to the work that we do here at Cincinnati Works.” 
“The TIF Model is intuitive, easy and flexible for report to the Township Trustees to help them understand the resources that Deerfield Township may have available. The Trustees really appreciate having a tool that can inform planning for the future, beyond the upcoming year.” 
“The Center worked to understand our community and our needs. They developed a set of custom economic indicators for Newaygo County, MI. We believe that this information is critical for expressing unique assets of our community and in making important decisions for our economic vitality.” -