Since 2004, Dr. Paul Sommers has been a professor at the Institute of Public Service, and the Albers School of Business at Seattle University. Dr. Sommers actively conducts research focused on economic development and workforce topics. His expertise focuses on regional development, regional economics and workforce forecasting. During his 25-year career at Battelle Memorial Institute and the University of Washington, Dr. Sommers has conducted many research projects consisting of national energy-industry topics, and rural and urban regional development issues in the Northwest. In the last several years, Dr. Sommers has been successful in preparing a number of job creation reports for investment groups, participating in the EB-5 immigrant investor program, having assisted the investment groups’ regional center applications in the states of California, Florida, Michigan, and Washington.