Research Group Staff

Gregory L. Hamilton is a senior research economist, demographer, and since 2006, Director of Research at the Institute for Economic Advancement. He has been at the Institute since 1996. He has participated in numerous research projects and studies over a wide range of topics during his time at the Institute. He has written several refereed articles and monographs on various economic topics. His expertise includes the areas economic impact analysis, regional economic analysis, economic demography, and population estimates and projection. Before joining the research group at the Institute, Greg held academic positions at several universities and colleges. He has taught a variety of economic courses and statistics at Kansas State University, Missouri Southern State University, University of Houston at Victoria, Marist College in New York, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Janice A. Cook is an Associate Research Specialist within UALR’s Institute for Economic Advancement. Her current responsibilities include CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviewing software) questionnaire programming, Sensus-Web Internet-based questionnaire programming, serving as the Technographer for IEA’s decision support capability, and serving as the lead SPSS and Microsoft Access database developer for survey results tabulations. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from UALR. Janice is also certified as a Microsoft Office User Specialist in Access 97. She has also received training in Survey Analysis using SPSS.

Kelly Gardner is the Web Design and Content Manager for IEA/DINA. She designs and updates web sites for communities and organizations throughout Arkansas. Kelly graduated from UALR in 2004 with a BA in Liberal Arts. Her primary focus was in Digital Graphics, a web-focused design program offered through the UALR Art Department. Before joining IEA, Kelly worked as a web designer at an advertising agency specializing in search engine marketing. She has also held the positions of Marketing and Special Events Coordinator at Wild Oats Markets and Marketing Coordinator at McMath Woods P.A.

Atherton Hiett is the Web Services Administrator for the UALR Institute for Economic Advancement. He maintains the web servers, e-mail servers and DNS servers for IEA. He also is the coordinator for the Development Information Network of Arkansas which hosts various municipal, chamber of commerce, economic development, and tourism sites. In this capacity, Atherton directs web site design, database management, and online surveys. Prior to joining IEA in 2001 he served as a desktop publishing consultant and web master for various advertising agencies.

Teresa A. (Terre) McLendon is a Research Specialist and veteran of more than two decades of economic development support research at the University of Arkansas. She holds a Master of Science degree in Marketing and Economics from University of Memphis. Her areas of expertise include economic and community development strategy, marketing and communication of communities, and technology-based development.

Antowonett Parks is a Research Associate/Telephone Interview Supervisor for the Survey/Business Research Group. She is responsible for managing, coordinating, monitoring and supervising the Survey/Business Research Call Center and all telephone-based data collection activities. Specific tasks associated with management of the IEA Call Center include recruiting, interviewing, hiring, monitoring, training and evaluating interviewers. In addition, she provides primary support for all modes of data collection (i.e. computer assisted telephone interviewing, mail surveys, focus group sessions, web-based surveys and face-to-face interviews), conducts economic impact research and assists with strategic planning and program assessments. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from UALR, Paralegal Certification from Arkansas State University and a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management from Webster University.

Katherine L. Rasmussen is a Research Assistant within UALR’s Institute for Economic Advancement (IEA). Her current job responsibilities include supporting primary and secondary data collection activities with the Survey/Business Research team of IEA. Katherine assists with data coding, data entry, data verification, telephone interviewing processes, and list preparations associated with quantitative-based data collection activities. Additionally, she provides assistance with qualitative-based meeting facilitation activities consisting of observation and note-taking activities. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in French from UALR.

Neva Wayman is a Associate Research Specialist with the Institute for Economic Advancement at UALR. She has been with the University since 1977. She helped build the state’s first econometric model and continues to help plan the semiannual UALR Economic Forecast Conferences. She is a member of the Bureau of Economic Analysis User Group for the state of Arkansas. She is responsible for updating two annual publications: Arkansas Personal Income Handbook and Arkansas State and County Economic Data. She received her B.S. Degree in Business Administration from Bethel College, McKenzie, Tennessee.

Vaughan Wingfield is an Associate Research Specialist and has been at the Institute for Economic Advancement since 1995. He received a BBA in Marketing in 1994 and an MBA in 1995 from UALR. His expertise includes analysis of sales and property taxes with recent activities focused on Tax Increment Financing. Other areas of expertise include computer applications and web design. He has taught introductory computer classes, Management Information Systems, and web design for the Management Department at UALR.

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