DePaul University faculty experts are available to provide expert analysis of various aspects of the economy, from the lingering downturn despite the recession officially ending in 2009 to continued high unemployment and foreclosures, as well as the resurgent stock market.

Professors available to speak with reporters are:

Elijah Brewer III, professor of finance. Expertise: issues related to financial services firms, the overall macro-economy and the risks of allowing large financial firms increased access to the government safety net. “There are two things causing households and businesses to pull back their spending–uncertainty about tax policy and the long-run effects of increased federal government regulation,” Brewer says. He can be reached at (312) 362-5151 or ebreweri@depaul.edu.

Rebel A. Cole, professor of finance and real estate. Expertise: foreclosure; banking and credit crises; unemployment; financial bailouts and regulatory reform; more economic stimulus, especially efforts targeted at small businesses and banks; President Barack Obama’s economic team; small businesses; subprime lending; and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Served as a financial economist for the Federal Reserve Board from 1991 to 1998. He can be reached at (312) 933-0584 or rcole@depaul.edu.

Ann Marie Klingenhagen, finance instructor. Expertise: strategic personal financial planning, banking, investments. She can be reached at (312) 362-5903 or aklingen@depaul.edu.

Bruce Newman, professor of marketing. Expertise: the role of the Obama administration in relation to the current economic situation. “The current financial crisis is clearly the result of events and actors that were in place well before the Obama administration took office,” Newman says. “The fact remains that the job of the free leader of the world – President Barack Obama – is to drive public opinion in a direction that will support the actions of his government. Unfortunately, Obama and his team have not been successful in this effort, and as a result, they have been blamed for the financial crisis.” He can be reached at (312) 362-5186 or bnewman@depaul.edu.

Joseph Schwieterman, professor, School of Public Service, and director, DePaul’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development. Schwieterman is an authority on the effects of slow economic growth on travel and transportation, including intercity bus, airline and Amtrak services. His work demonstrates how the weak economy and high fuel prices have together stimulated travel on bus lines such as Megabus as well as rail operators at the expense of airline and auto travel. He has also done research on the effects of high sales taxes in Cook County on consumer buying behavior. He can be reached at (312) 362-5732 or jschwiet@depaul.edu.