{"id":3222,"date":"2026-08-18T12:59:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T16:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/business\/?p=3222"},"modified":"2026-08-20T13:06:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T17:06:42","slug":"meet-the-rcob-center-helping-chattanooga-make-sense-of-its-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/business\/2026\/08\/18\/meet-the-rcob-center-helping-chattanooga-make-sense-of-its-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the RCOB center helping Chattanooga make sense of its economy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Every day, business owners, policymakers and community leaders in Chattanooga are handed a flood of economic data\u2014job numbers, housing figures, income trends and unemployment rates. The hard part is knowing what those numbers mean and what to do about them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/gary-w-rollins-college-of-business\/center-for-regional-economic-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Center for Regional Economic Research (CRER)<\/a> at the Gary W. Rollins College of Business connects those dots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"606\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2-1024x606.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2-1024x606.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2-768x455.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2-580x343.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2-610x361.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/IMG_6205-2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A new center with a clear purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The CRER was founded in 2024 to produce high-quality, data-focused research and analysis of the Chattanooga regional economy. The center also connects the university and its students with the local community through unbiased economic analysis people can trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That word\u2014unbiased\u2014is the heart of it. Policymakers and business leaders crave a perspective that helps them better understand the tradeoffs behind tough decisions and see the full picture before they act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Becoming Chattanooga&#8217;s go-to economic voice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For a center that&#8217;s only a couple years old, the CRER has made a remarkable amount of noise. It has quickly become the first call for local media covering the economy, averaging more than 50 media appearances per year. The community is turning to the center to understand what&#8217;s happening in the local economy and the CRER is helping people see it more clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-genesis-singular-images\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/ChattanoogaDowntown_72.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/ChattanoogaDowntown_72-780x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3230\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The success story that says it all<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The CRER\u2019s research has proven beneficial to our community officials, quoted regularly by Chattanooga city and Hamilton County mayors. The region&#8217;s leaders are aware of the center&#8217;s work and are using it to assist with decision-making that impacts the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>That kind of recognition\u2014from the top of local government in a public setting\u2014is a powerful signal for a center founded just two years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s next: students, real projects, real partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The CRER&#8217;s most important initiative right now is its Student Research Fellows Program. A partnership with EPB is giving students the chance to work on projects that matter to the Chattanooga community while gaining hands-on experience alongside an industry leader. It&#8217;s the mission in action\u2014students doing real work, for real stakes, with a real partner.<br><br>\u201cNo one is surprised when a seasoned economist delivers useful analysis,\u201d said CRER Research Fellow and RCOB Finance and Economics Department Head Bento Lobo. \u201cBut when a young economics student does it\u2014when a student sits across from a decision-maker and offers real, credible insight\u2014that turns heads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The best-kept secret: A data hub anyone can use<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3227\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6-580x435.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6-610x458.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2026\/08\/Media-6.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/gary-w-rollins-college-of-business\/crer\/data-hub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CRER&#8217;s online data hub<\/a> makes government data on employment, unemployment, income, housing and demographics across the Chattanooga region available for the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>You can download or create charts out of 60 datasets in just a few clicks. It&#8217;s a useful tool for researchers, business owners, journalists and curious residents alike.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get involved<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re an alumnus, local executive or community partner who wants to support this work, the CRER would love to hear from you. <a href=\"https:\/\/giving.utc.edu\/campaigns\/42934\/donations\/new?designation_id=ffrer_ucf&amp;_gl=1*e9h2ie*_gcl_au*MTE2MTA1MTA1NC4xNzgwNTg2MTIzLi0uLS4xNzgzMzU5NjE1LjE1MzkwNTA5NDguMTc4NjEyNzQ1NC4xNzg2MTI3NDU0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donations directly support student initiatives<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Community engagement helps the center connect UTC students with the region and help Chattanooga understand its own economy a little better every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Let&#8217;s see where the numbers will take you.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The best analysts don&#8217;t just read data. They turn it into decisions. At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/gary-w-rollins-college-of-business\/departments\/undergraduate-programs\" id=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/gary-w-rollins-college-of-business\/departments\/undergraduate-programs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UTC&#8217;s Gary W. Rollins College of Business<\/a>, we\u2019re bringing real research, real community partners and unbiased analysis to prepare students to lead in any industry that runs on smart decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every day, business owners, policymakers and community leaders in Chattanooga are handed a flood of economic data\u2014job numbers, housing figures, income trends and unemployment rates. The hard part is knowing what those numbers mean and what to do about them. The Center for Regional Economic Research (CRER) at the Gary W. Rollins College of Business&hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><span><a class=\"more-link button text\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/business\/2026\/08\/18\/meet-the-rcob-center-helping-chattanooga-make-sense-of-its-economy\/\"><span>Continue Reading <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2069,"featured_media":3226,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,120193,120215,120188],"tags":[51,68299,116,57,120349,661,150],"class_list":{"0":"post-3222","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-center-for-regional-economic-research","8":"category-data-analytics","9":"category-master-of-science-in-data-analytics","10":"category-uncategorized","11":"tag-business","12":"tag-business-students","13":"tag-chattanooga","14":"tag-college-of-business","15":"tag-economic-research","16":"tag-students","17":"tag-utc","18":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Meet the RCOB center helping Chattanooga make sense of its economy - Gary W. Rollins College of Business<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Founded in 2024, UTC&#039;s Center for Regional Economic Research has become Chattanooga&#039;s go-to source for unbiased analysis of the regional economy \u2014 averaging 50+ media appearances a year.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/business\/2026\/08\/18\/meet-the-rcob-center-helping-chattanooga-make-sense-of-its-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meet the RCOB center helping Chattanooga make sense of its economy - Gary W. 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