About Economic and Policy Resources, Inc.
Economic & Policy Resources, Inc. (EPR) has been providing consulting services to public and private sector clients since 1983. We deliver economic, economic-job impact assessment, strategic economic development, and financial, planning, and public policy analysis services to support our clients through critical decisions. Our staff of six economists and support personnel bring more than 50 years of collective experience in regional economics, and in the preparation of understandable reports related to highly technical issues and studies. We bring unmatched expertise in regional impact assessment analysis and use state-of-the art impact assessment methods and tools, including REDYN, IMPLAN, and RIMS.
Our firm has successfully completed EB-5 impact assessment studies in the states of Vermont and Florida. Our work in the Vermont Regional Center has resulted in an application that has been viewed as a model project under the EB-5 program.
Bios of Selected Professional Staff
Jeffrey B. Carr, Corporate President and Economist
Mr. Carr has more than 25 years of experience as an economist with particular expertise in macro-economics, economic forecasting, regional economic and fiscal impact analysis (including the USCIS EB-5 program), and fiscal policy analysis for federal, state, and local governments. Among many other assignments, Mr. Carr has served as the State Economist and Principal Revenues Analyst for nearly 18 years to the state of Vermont—including service to the last four governors of the state.
Lawrence D. Copp, Corporate Chairman and Economist
Mr. Copp is an economist with more than 25 years experience in policy analysis, micro-economic issues, forensic economics, regional impact analysis (including the USCIS EB-5 program) public utilities, state government policy, and business valuation. He is the founding President of Economic and Policy Resources. He is an expert in input-output modeling. He also has extensive experience as an expert witness regarding economic damages in state and federal courts and before quasi-judicial panels. He is active in his community of Richmond, VT, owns a 200 acre farm, and is a certified pilot and a flight instructor.
Robert. A. Chase, Senior Economist
Mr. Chase is an economist with over 25 years of experience in regional economics, industrial analysis, trade and economic development, and fiscal and economic impact assessment. Bob has conducted a number of economic studies utilizing input-output, SAM and CGE modeling frameworks in various domestic and international settings, including the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin, British Columbia, Alberta, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Panama. His professional background includes positions as research economist and instructor at North Dakota State University, economist at Battelle Human Affairs Research Center in Seattle, senior economist with the Washington State Department of Commerce, research director and economist at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, visiting research faculty at the University of Maryland, Agricultural & Resource Economics Department and principal of his own firm, Chase Economics based in Tacoma, Washington.
Mr. Chase has authored well over a hundred publications including two books on socioeconomic impact analysis, chapters in books, articles in refereed journals, articles in popular business-oriented publications, and scores of client-based reports. Clients have included federal, state and local government agencies, universities, multinational corporations, and local businesses. Mr. Chase holds a M.S. degree in regional economics from the University of Wisconsin with additional studies toward a PhD in regional economics.
Zachary H. Sears, Senior Research Economist
Mr. Sears has extensive training in econometric modeling and quantitative economics. He graduated in May 2007 with a Master’s degree from the Community and Applied Economics Department of the University of Vermont. Prior to completing his Master’s program at UVM, he was in the U.S. Army for 5 years working as a translator.