Dr. Michael Pakko – Economist and Libertarian
Dr. Michael Pakko is the Chief Economist and State Economic Forecaster at the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Pakko received his B.A. from Michigan State University in 1984 and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1994.
Before moving to Arkansas in 2009, Dr. Pakko spent 16 years as a research economist and officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, where he published research on a variety of topics, including international trade, economic growth, macroeconomics, and public policy.
After drifting into the study of regional economics, Dr. Pakko found himself drawn to Arkansas. For the past 15 years he has taken on the task of providing his analysis of the state’s macroeconomic conditions, along with conducting research to support economic development projects around the state.
In addition to his other research responsibilities at AEDI, Dr. Pakko co-hosts an annual Arkansas Economic Forecast Conference, is a regular speaker at professional and business events, and is a frequent media commentator. He has taught economics at various universities since 1990, and is presently an adjunct instructor in the UA-Little Rock School of Business.
Dr. Pakko has also been active as a leader of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas, serving as a District Representative and as State Treasurer before being elected as Chair of the Party in 2015. In his time as Chair, he has overseen the growth of the party from a truly “new” political party to a regular fixture in Arkansas electoral politics.