Zachary Jenkins, director of the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development at the University of West Florida

The Haas Center at the University of West Florida has a new face, one that is deeply tied to its past.

Zachary Jenkins this month began his job as the new director of the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development. The Center is part of the Center for Research and Economic Opportunity at UWF and has worked with the Studer Community Institute in its analysis of data about our community.

“Zach’s academic training is in business, economics and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in law at the University of Florida,” said Dr. Rick Harper, associate vice president for research and economic opportunity.

“Zach has the broad range of skills necessary to oversee Haas Center activities including research, outreach and provision of high-quality data and analysis to support the growth and development of Northwest Florida communities.”

As director of the Haas Center, Jenkins will be responsible for increasing the center’s research activity and leading a team of experts that has played a vital role in economic development strategies across the region and state since 1993.

His grandparents are the namesakes of the Haas Center, Ray and Harriet Haas.

Word is he soon will have an analysis of how Northwest Florida fits into a Pew Center Research study that shows the middle class has been losing ground in terms of wages since 1971. Read more about that here.