Center for Business and Economic Development
Our History
The Center for Business and Economic Research, established in 1977 under Dean Bobby K. Marks, evolved into the Gibson D. Lewis Center for Business and Economic Development (CBED). Created as a public service arm of COBA, it provides data collection and analysis for individuals, businesses, governments, and nonprofits in Walker County and beyond.
Under Dr. William B. Green’s leadership, the CBED launched the Journal of Business Strategies (JBS) in 1984—a peer-reviewed publication bridging academic research and business practice. Over nearly three decades, JBS published 300+ articles by 600 authors and is now fully digitized online.
The CBED also introduced a Research and Instructional Development Working Paper Series in 1991, with more than 160 papers available on its website.
In the late 1980s, the Center gained global recognition when Dr. George Greenwade created the Economics Gopher, positioning SHSU as a leading source of online economic information. His collaboration with international universities led to the development of the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN), with SHSU serving as North America’s primary host.
Today, CBED continues to advance business knowledge through research publications, regional economic data, and impact modeling using RIMS II and IMPLAN tools.
The Economic Impact Of Bats
Thanks to the efforts of the Sam Houston State University Gibson D. Lewis Center for Business and Economic Development, along with student volunteers, the university is supporting the City of Huntsville through a unique research project.