Faculty & Staff
Dan Finn, Professor of Economics and Theology
Clemens Chair in Economics and the Liberal Arts
Office: Main 339, CSB
Phone: 320-363-3048
Degrees and Post Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. University of Chicago, Religious Social Ethics
M.A. University of Chicago, Economics
B.S. St. John Fischer College, Mathematics
Teaching Areas/Interest
Ethics and Economics, History of Economic Thought, Economics and Philosophy
Research Areas/Interest
Morality and markets, Ethics and International Trade, Power in Catholic Social Thought
Personal Information
Dan is a serious bridge player, loves to work with wood, (he made his own kitchen table) and enjoys gardening.
Michael Hemesath, Professor of Economics
President of St. John's University
Office: Quad 136, SJU
Degrees and Post Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. Harvard University
B.S. Saint John's University
Teaching Areas/Interests
International Economics, Health Economics, Transition Economics
Research Areas/Interests
Economics of Education, Transition Economics, Health Economics
Personal Information
Spouse: Elizabeth Galbraith; three sons, Cameron, Sebastian and Alexander.
Louis Johnston, Professor of Economics
McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement
Office: Main 333, CSB
Phone: 320-262-5683
Degrees and Post-Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley
M.A. University of California, Berkeley
B.S. University of Minnesota
Personal website: www.louisjohnston.com
Teaching Areas/Interests
Macreconomics, Economic History, Economic Growth, Introductory Economics
Research Areas/Interests
Evolution of Minnesota's economy, U.S. output and productivity before 1930. Columnist in MinnPost. Contributor to textbooks: a. Robert Frank and Ben Bernanke, Principles of Economics, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2009 and 2012 (4th and 5th editions); b. Robert Frank and Ben Bernanke, Principles of Economics, Brief Edition McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2009 and 2011 (1st and 2nd editions).
Personal Information
Louis centers his life around his wife, Susan Riley (also a professor at CSB/SJU) and his children, Olivia and John. Besides family and economics, his passions are history, music (especially big band jazz) and trains.
Meg Lewis, Professor of Economics
Office: Main 347, CSB
Phone: 320-363-5977
Degrees and Post-Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. University of Maryland
M.A. University of Maryland
B.A. College of William and Mary
Teaching Areas/Interests
Economics of Gender and Race, Labor Economics, Quantitative Methods in Economics/Econometrics, and History of Economic Thought
Research Areas/Interests
Evolution of the economics discipline and profession; effective pedagogy in the economics classroom; institutional and feminist economics.
Personal Information
Meg enjoys working with stained and fused glass, reading, and just hanging out with husband David and her four-legged guys: Simon, Ellery, and Homer, in her home on the Mississippi River.
Sucharita Sinha Mukherjee, Associate Professor of Economics and Department Chair
Office: Main 336, CSB
Phone: 320-363-5259
Degrees and Post Graduate Research Study
Ph.D. University of California-Riverside
M. Phil. Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research
M.S. University of Calcutta
B.S. St. Xavier's College
Teaching Areas/Interests
Economic Development, Asian Economies, Quantitative Methods and Econometrics; Gender and Development; Gender Issues in Asia; Feminist Economics
Research Areas/Interests
Economic Development; Economics of Gender; Issues in Developing Countries; Asian Development
Personal Information
Loves to spend time with daughter Ahona, watch old classic movies and cooking.
Masayuki Onda, Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics
Office: Main 331, CSB
Phone: 320-363-5014
Degrees and Post Graduate Research Study
Ph.D. Louisiana State University
M.A. Louisiana State University
M.A. Yokohama National University
B.A. Hosei University
Teaching Areas/Interests
Economics of Education, Microeconomics, Labor Economics
Research Areas/Interests
Applied Econometrics, Economics of Education, Economics of Crime
Syed Al-Helal Uddin, Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics
Office: Main 336, CSB
Phone: 320-363-5244
Degrees and Post-Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. Florida International University
M.A. Florida International University
M.S.S. University of Dhaka
B.S.S. University of Dhaka
Personal Website: http://syedalhelaluddin.weebly.com
Teaching Areas/Interests
Introductory Economics, International Economics, Macroeconomics, Statistics and Econometrics
Research Areas/Interests
International Trade, International Finance, Migration, and Applied Econometrics
Personal Information
Loves to sepnd time with family, watching movies, exploring new places.
Parker Wheatley, Professor of Economics
Office: Main 335, CSB
Phone: 320-363-5917
Degrees and Post-Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. University of Minnesota
M.A. George Mason University
B.A. Sewanee-the University of the South
Teaching Areas/Interests
Introductory Economics, Market Structures and Firm Strategy, Industrial Organization and Public Policy, Financial Markets and Institutions, and Microeconomics Theory
Research Areas/Interests
Recent research has focused heavily on household decision and consumption among low-income communities. Other recent work includes study of the structure, pricing, and location of financial institutions that service low-income communities. Past research has focused on a variety of topics in U.S. agriculture, including the role of organic food and the internet in these markets.
Personal Information
Parker enjoys spending time with his wife and son - bowling, watching birds, and enjoying the great weather in Central Minnesota.
Judy Shank, Department Coordinator/Administrative Assistant
Office: Main 338, CSB
Phone: 320-363-5216
Judy Shank began working for the Clemens and Myers Chairs in October of 2000 upon returning to this area from Long Island, New York. She held that position until adding the Koch Chair in 2015. In 2018 Judy became the coordinator of the Clemens Chair, Economics Department, and part-time help for the Koch Chair. Judy is a Saint Benedicts High School graduate and graduate of the Minnesota School of Business. She lives in Waite Park with her husband Ron. She has 2 children (Kelly and Kevin) and 3 beautiful grandchildren (Brooke, Bentley and Brielle) who live in Texas with their parents Kelly and Lyn!
John Olson, Professor Emeritus of Economics
Degrees and Post-Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. University of Rochester
M.A. University of Rochester
B.A. DePauw University
Personal Information
John retired in June 2017. John is an avid golfer which substitutes for his earlier more youthful exploits on the soccer and softball fields. Other interests include stamp collection and reading about economics, history, and politics.
Ernie Diedrich, Professor Emeritus of Economics
Degrees and Post Graduate Research Study
Ph.D. Colorado State University
M.I.M. American Graduate School of International Management
B.A. University of Cincinnati
Personal Information
Ernie retired in the spring of 2013. Ernie enjoys community work, politics, world music, and hiking in Colorado.
Joe Friedrich, Professor Emeritus of Economics
Degrees and Post Graduate Research Study
Visiting Scholar-London School of Economics
M.A. University of Wisconsin-Madison
B.A. Saint John's University
Personal Information
Joe retired in June 2009. He continues to research in the areas of public policy, especially health care and enjoys keeping in touch with former students and colleagues. He and his wife, Kathy, enjoy traveling, gardening, golfing, reading, and grandchildren.
Chuck Rambeck, Professor Emeritus of Economics
Degrees and Post-Graduate Research/Study
Ph.D. and B.A. University of Minnesota
Personal Information
Chuck Rambeck was a valued member of the economics department from 1975 until his retirement in the spring of 2011. He passed away in the fall of 2014, and his insights and personality are missed by his former colleagues and students.