Hendrix Chair of Excellence

05/26/2026

Drive through almost any small town in West Tennessee and you'll see the same quiet shift: the local grocery store is gone, and in its place stands a dollar store. Sometimes two.

It's easy to read that as a story about one chain out-competing another. But the economics are more subtle...and perhaps more troubling. A dollar store doesn't replace a grocery store so much as quietly undercut the margins that kept it alive, until the grocery closes and the dollar store, which was never built to be a primary food source, becomes the only option left. New research (including work by my UTM colleague Chuck Grigsby-Calage) is starting to measure exactly who that hurts the most.

This is the part of food economics that isn't glamorous (no vineyards, no terroir) but for a lot of communities it's the part that matters most.

I wrote about it over on my blog and Substack (Marginal Indulgence).

03/27/2026

Senior Economics Scholar Tyler Looney prepares for his first professional presentation at the Social Capital Conference -- initially scheduled to be in Dubai, UAE, before going virtual due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Tyler presented joint research (with Drs. Anthony Delmond, Joey Mehlhorn, and Brittany Cole) examining how congressional committee structures and tenures impact state-level returns to constituents. There were three other presentations made by UT Martin faculty (in UTM College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences and UT Martin CBGA) at the conference this year.

03/07/2026

Il tempo è breve! Time is short to apply for the UTM in Siena semester-long study abroad in Italy. Study Food Branding & Wine Economics; Italian Culture & Language; and the Mediterranean Diet and Italian Cuisine. The trip will be led by Dr. Tony Delmond. All majors are welcome and most financial aid applies. For more information and to apply go to: www.utm.edu/siena. It will be an experience of a lifetime!

UTM in Siena is a partnership with Learning Italy - A Study Program by Dante Alighieri Siena.

UT Martin Center for Global Engagement and Experience

03/05/2026

Welcome!

Dr. Timothy S. Todd has been named interim dean of the University of Tennessee at Martin College of Business and Global Affairs. The longtime Murray State University academic leader and faculty member is expected to begin his new position July 1. Todd will lead UT Martin’s AACSB-accredited business programs, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management and information systems. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide, held by 6% of business programs globally.

Looking ahead, UT Martin has secured approval and funding to construct a new state-of-the-art Business Administration Building, with completion expected in 2030.

“Dr. Todd’s proven ability to build strong community and industry partnerships, maintain rigorous accreditation standards, and develop innovative academic programming makes him well suited to lead the college during this period,” said Dr. Yancy Freeman Sr., UT Martin chancellor, in an email to the university community. “His collaborative spirit and genuine enthusiasm for this work have been evident throughout our conversations. He is eager to support the college's faculty, staff and students and to build on the strong foundation already in place.”

Todd served as dean of the Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business at Murray State University for more than 12 years, overseeing six academic departments, a $10 million budget, and approximately 100 faculty and staff. During his tenure, the college maintained AACSB accreditation through three successful reviews and achieved ACEJMC accreditation for its journalism and mass communications programs.

He led significant fundraising efforts averaging more than $835,000 per year, guided the naming of the college, and oversaw a $120,000 renovation of the State Farm Financial Services Resource Center. He and his team also created new programs, including an accelerated MBA degree, a logistics and supply chain management program, an executive organizational communication master’s program, and an international program at Shandong Business and Technical University in China.

Beyond his dean-level experience, Todd served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Murray State, overseeing all six academic colleges and schools along with the Center for Adult and Regional Education. His leadership contributed to Murray State’s successful SACS-COC reaffirmation, with no recommendations, and to a $60 million legislative appropriation for a new facility.

Todd earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western Kentucky University and a Doctor of Education degree from North Carolina State University.

02/27/2026

Taking it outside...

02/06/2026

We brought students from UT Martin CBGA and UTM College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences to compete in the academic bowl and present their research at the SAEA Annual Conference in Louisville, KY earlier this week. Reyna Joyner was on the winning quiz bowl team, and Carley Pruett's team placed second in the UTM-heavy final. Abigail Willard presented on travel abroad, and Trevor Johnson presented on the evolution of income inequality in Tennessee. Altogether, University of Tennessee at Martin had more than a half dozen presentations at the conference.

12/28/2025

It's a great time to consider this!

The Sangiovese grapes of Tuscany are used to make many of the famous wines of Italy. Winter break is a good time to discuss with family & friends the possibility of studying Wine Economics & Food Branding in Italy during the Fall 2026 Semester. For more information contact Dr. Anthony Delmond at: [email protected], or see: www.utm.edu/siena. All majors welcome!

UTM in Siena is partnership between the University of Tennessee at Martin and Learning Italy - A Study Program by Dante Alighieri Siena.