About Mike

Mike is a nationally known expert on the economic value of human life and in 2022 has published his first non-academic book – a humorous journey toward joy, THE PERSIMMON TREE NARRATIVE. He and his wife Lynn reside in Charleston, West Virginia. Mike earned a bachelors and Ph.D. in economics from The University of Tennessee and his academic career as an administrator and professor included The University of Tennessee, The University of Cincinnati, and Marshall University.

He published four books and more than fifty peer-reviewed articles.For 45 years Mike served as an expert witness on economic damages in major lawsuits across the United States. His 1987 book Economic Damages was a foundation for the sub-discipline of forensic economics. After the 9/11 attacks, he was an invited panelist at the American Economic Association meeting discussing the proposed Victim Compensation Fund.

While an unusual addition to this economic specialty, Mike also spent much of his career as a management consultant and team builder to private and public organizations. As a teacher and courtroom witness, Mike has attempted to make discussions about economics as interesting and fun as they could possibly be. Now freed from the shackles of academia, he turns in THE PERSIMMON TREE NARRATIVE to a relationship with a talking tree and the pursuit of joy.