Page 296 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

About the Editor and Contributors 285

opment in rural places. Prior to her work with the Center, she chaired the
RUPRI Equity Capital Initiative and completed a national study of nontra-
ditional venture capital institutions. Her research has also included case
studies of entrepreneurial support organizations, evaluation of state indus-
trial extension programs, and consideration of the impacts of changing
banking markets on small business finance. She has extensive experience
conducting field-based survey research projects and has conducted focus
groups and interviews with rural bankers, entrepreneurs, business service
providers, venture capitalists, small manufacturers, and others. Her research
has been presented in academic journals, as well as to national public pol-
icy organizations and Congressional committees.

Glenn Muske, Ph.D., is professor in the Department of Design, Housing,
and Merchandising as well as the home-based and microbusiness specialist
for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES). His mission is
“the development of entrepreneurs and the communities where they live.”
In this role, he provides assistance and training to current and potential mi-
cro and home-based business owners. Much of his support is focused on
the start-up business owner and in the area of marketing. His research in-
terests include understanding the development of successful microenter-
prises. Recently, he and a colleague have studied copreneurs, or couples
owning and running a family business as a team. He has published widely
in scholarly and professional journals as well as an extensive involvement
in the OCES outreach program.

Craig Schroeder, B.S., is a senior associate with the RUPRI Center for Rural
Entrepreneurship with more than 20 years of experience in rural commu-
nity economic development and public policy. Most of his recent research
has involved studying and implementing successful youth entrepreneurship
programs in the Midwest. He has served on several prominent regional,
state, and national rural development boards and commissions during his
career, including Chairperson and Executive Director of the Nebraska Rural
Development Commission. Of particular note is his work in creating the
Youth Attraction Formula, a tool for rural communities to use in addressing
persistent youth out-migration.

Norman Walzer, Ph.D., retired as professor of economics and founding di-
rector of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University.
He is Senior Research Scholar in the Center for Governmental Studies at
Northern Illinois University. He has contributed extensively to the literature
on local public finance and local economic development with a special in-
terest in rural applications. He regularly works with state and local govern-
ment agencies on issues related to development or finance. His most recent