Georgia Trend's "Top 40 Under 40" includes AASU Economics Professor, Director of Center for Regional Analysis

Savannah, GA—October 21, 2004—Georgia Trend magazine has selected Michael J. Toma, professor of economics at Armstrong Atlantic State University, for inclusion in its "Top 40 Under 40" annual listing of newsmaking community and business leaders. The listing is printed in the magazine's October issue.

As director of AASU’s Center for Regional Analysis, Toma authors the Coastal Empire Economic Monitor, a quarterly newsletter about the Savannah area economy distributed to business leaders across the state. The publication is also re-printed in the Savannah Morning News’ business section and the (Savannah) Business Report & Journal, and is available on-line at the Center for Regional Analysis website.

Ray Wood, retired chief economic analyst for Savannah Electric, has said that Toma is one of only 20 regional economists in the United States who reliably forecast local economic conditions.

Toma has been contacted over 30 times per year by the media for his perspective on current economic issues. He has been interviewed by or quoted in the New York Times, Associated Press, Georgia Public Radio, Morris News Service, Georgia Trend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jacksonville Times-Union, Charleston Post and Courier, Savannah Morning News, (Savannah) Business Report & Journal, Augusta Chronicle, Minot (ND) Daily News, Connect Savannah as well as television stations in Savannah and Pensacola, FL.

Toma has authored or co-authored over 20 manuscripts on regional economic activity and has been awarded over $300,000 to support research. His applied research includes studies and forecasting of regional economic conditions, economic development and industrial targeting, tourism, economic impact analysis, and survey-based research on consumer satisfaction, expenditure patterns, and attitudes toward tobacco use and use prevention. Additionally, he has collaborated with a variety of government and private sector entities in the Savannah area on topics of applied research. Several collaborative efforts have been statewide in nature.

Savannah’s Business Report and Journal named Toma one of "40 under 40" notable Savannahians for 2003.

Toma’s academic research interests are regional economics, monetary and macroeconomics, and public choice. He has published articles in journals such as the Atlantic Economic Journal, International Review of Economics and Business, Journal of Economics and Finance Education, the Journal of American Academy of Business, International Advances In Economic Research, and the Indian Journal of Economics. He will be editing a special issue of the Journal of Economics and Finance on tourism economics. He is a member of the editorial board of the Southern Business Review, and an active member of the Academy of Economics and Finance (AEF) serving on several of the AEF’s committees.

Toma is the volunteer webmaster for the Savannah Tour of Historic Houses of Worship website. He has filled several leadership roles in his church community as a member of the parish council, co-chair of the maintenance committee, and head usher.