Russell W. Mills, Ph.D. is the Senior Director of the Center for Regional Development at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). Dr. Mills leads CRD’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center program that provides technical assistance, data, analytics, and applied research to local businesses and economic development professionals. He has significant expertise and experience in demographic and economic data analysis, economic impact analysis, economic development planning processes, workforce development initiatives, and grant writing.

Prior to his appointment at BGSU, Dr. Mills worked as a policy analyst at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Washington D.C. where he developed and evaluated agency-wide reauthorization proposals for political and policy implications.  Dr. Mills has developed extensive research expertise in improving air transportation access to communities and currently serves as the Vice-President of the Ohio Aviation Association and as chair of the Advocacy Committee.  Mills recently served on the Department of Transportation’s Working Group to Improve Air Service to Small Communities and was the lead author of its report to Congress.

He has received grants from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Airport Cooperative Research Program, the Dirksen Congressional Research Center, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), and the IBM Center for the Business of Government.  His research has appeared in a variety of outlets including Legislative Studies Quarterly, The Journal of Public Policy, Public Administration Review, Administration & Society, Regulation and Governance, The Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis and his commentary has appeared in popular outlets including the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Columbus Dispatch, Toledo Blade, and Bloomberg News.  Mills has a B.A. in political science from Westminster College in Pennsylvania, a MPA from the University of Vermont, and a Ph.D. in political science from Kent State University.