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AUBER Profile: Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development
The University of West Florida

Located in Pensacola, Florida, and established in 1994, the Haas Center collects, analyzes, and distributes economic data to business, government, media, nonprofit organizations, and individuals.
Sonny Cushing, Director, Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development, University of West Florida

Sonny Cushing, Director, Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development, University of West Florida

In addition to publishing its quarterly report, Northwest Florida Economy, the center specializes in data analysis for the purposes of industry research, business expansion, tourism, and real estate development, as well as academic studies. Sonny Cushing leads the 10-member team, which combines academic credentials with varied experience, ranging from business analysts to media specialists. Cushing's academic research centers on the banking industry and financial markets.

In recent years, financial support for the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development has included private and public partners: Raymond Haas, founder of Service Master; the State of Florida; the Small Business Administration; various regional economic development organizations; Touchstone Energy Electric Cooperative, Gulf Power Company; and the University of West Florida (UWF) College of Business. The center exists to help entrepreneurs and industry leaders-from traditional manufacturing to emerging technologies-meet their information needs in the modern economy.

Unique sponsored research projects at the Haas Center include the following: geospatial demographic reports for the 16-county region of northwest Florida, regional tourism research, and Florida defense industry economic impact analysis. Geospatial demographic reports for the 16-county region of Northwest Florida Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) store, evaluate, and integrate data visually with map utilities tied to databases. Such software applications provide business users with a decision support tool. Maps layered with spatial data can identify and target new business opportunities. Information resources are often buried in spreadsheets. With mapping software, multiple data fields can be highlighted and examined. The outcome is a decision support tool that visually connects demographic data with infrastructure and environmental characteristics.

UWF's application, known as GIS Web Tools (http://uwf.edu/vba/GISTOOLS), provides a unique regional database that allows people to develop and use an inventory of northwest Florida's assets. Providing information reports for 16 counties in northwest Florida, the system stores, evaluates, and integrates data visually with map utilities. Comprehensive demographic reports, consumer expenditures, and business and workforce statistics are all available at no cost. By entering a zip code and county of interest, anyone can view area demographic information, such as population breakdowns, median income, age distribution, employment by industry, and more.

Regional Tourism Research
The Pensacola Tourism Report reflects activity in five coastal counties of northwest Florida-Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay. Details include bed tax collections, airport enplanements and deplanements, and hotel/restaurant sales. The UWF Haas Center's tourism office specializes in data analysis for the purposes of forecasting, market research, business expansion, and academic studies. The center's published work includes the Pensacola Area Tourism Report and the Beaches of South Walton Customer Perceptions and Aware ness Survey. Information on the tourism web site (http://haas.uwf.edu/tourism/) is updated on a monthly basis to provide users with current indicators of the region's tourism industry.

Florida Defense Industry Economic Impact Analysis
Military activity in the State of Florida has long been a major source of employment for state residents, sales for companies, and tax revenues for state and local government. Aggregate Department of Defense spending flowing directly into the state during fiscal year 2002 amounted to $21.7 billion in wages, pensions and other transfers, and goods and services. This includes direct payrolls to servicemen and civilians, retirement and veterans' benefits, and contracts with companies doing business in Florida. The principal finding of this study is that in fiscal year 2002, defense-related spending was responsible for $44 billion (in 2003 dollars) in output, or gross state product, in Florida. Visit the web site to download a copy of the center's research (http://haas.uwf.edu/militaryStudies.htm).

Other notable projects currently underway at the Haas Center include:

  • The UWF/Listener Group household panel and index of consumer sentiment;
  • ExxonMobil economic impact study of Jay Field;
  • Baptist Health Care research on the development of a pricing-model for noninsured indigent health care.

For more information about the UWF Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development, please call 850-474-2657, or visit our office online at haas.uwf.edu.

Sonny Cushing, Director
Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development
University of West Florida

 
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