Longtime director of business research center retires

The University of Montana’s longtime Bureau of Business and Economic Research Director Patrick Barkey has retired after leading the center since 2008.  

Over the past 17 years, Barkey has guided a team of 20 research professionals through the tumultuous years of the Great Recession and the Covid-19 pandemic; conducted highly visible studies on important issues like housing affordability, health care and high tech; served as a well-respected source of economic analysis and expertise for legislators and leaders across the state; and led BBER to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Outlook Seminars.  

Barkey is well-known throughout Montana for his economic forecasts, having traveled the state annually on the Economic Outlook tour, reaching all corners of Montana, and for his “Montana Economic Minute,” a one-minute podcast that covers issues ranging from recession, inflation and interest rates to artificial intelligence and federal job cuts.  

“It has been a privilege to represent the University of Montana and the BBER brand across our great state,” Barkey said. 

He has elevated the national reputation of BBER through his leadership in the Association of University Business and Economic Research (AUBER), serving as the organization’s Secretary-Treasurer for nine years and its president for two years.  

He also won AUBER’s most prestigious award, the Thayne Robson award, for his longtime commitment and service to the organization.  

“Under Patrick Barkey’s leadership, BBER has grown to be a highly valued and trusted source of data and analysis that assists and informs a vast array of people and organizations from both the public and private sectors,” according to UM President Seth Bodnar. “BBER gives the people of Montana the gift of data, analysis and information that they can trust. You can’t put a price on this, much like you can’t put a price on the impact Pat has had on the state of Montana.”  

“Pat has a tremendous legacy of helping business, government and the public understand the economy of Montana,” according to Jeff Michael, BBER’s new director. “His contribution to the state will be remembered.”  

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research is a research center located in UM’s College of Business. BBER researchers engage in a wide range of applied research projects that address different aspects of the state economy, including survey research, economic analysis, health care research, forecasting, wood products research and energy research. For more information, visit http://bber.umt.edu or call 406-243- 5113.