Jerry N. Conover
Director
A Terre Haute native, Jerry Conover returned to his Hoosier roots to become director of the Indiana Business Research Center in July 2003.
He previously served as director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at Northern Arizona University (NAU), where he was also Professor of Marketing. He directed NAU’s MBA Program from 1990 to 1994. From 1981 to 1985, Jerry served on the marketing faculty at the University of Arizona.
Jerry has played leading roles in state and regional economic development initiatives for nearly two decades, applying university research expertise to the task of shaping strategy for advancing regional economies. Prior to returning to Indiana, he helped craft a strategic vision for economic development in the bi-national region comprised of Arizona and its neighboring state of Sonora, Mexico. He also played a key role in a major study of the Arizona economy that led to a 10-year plan to increase the state’s competitiveness.
In Indiana, Jerry leads the IBRC’s work to ensure that accurate, reliable information and analysis are available to inform decision-making in Indiana’s public and private sectors. The center plays a central role in the state’s Information for Indiana initiative, through which data from state agencies on a wide range of subjects is increasingly accessible through the IBRC’s STATS Indiana web service. Through his work with the IBRC, Jerry has also contributed to innovative research, analysis and planning in collaborative ventures supported by numerous federal, state and private sponsors.
Jerry earned doctoral degrees in Experimental Psychology and in Business Administration at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and his undergraduate major was psychology at the University of Michigan.
Outside of work, Jerry enjoys outdoor activities, the performing arts, amateur radio, backgammon and astronomy. He and his wife Carey live in Bloomington, where their two sons attend IU.
