Freedom Seminar Presenters

Dr. Michael Cox

W. Michael Cox is Director of the O'Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business.  The focus of the O'Neil Center is the study of the impact of competitive market forces on freedom and prosperity in the global economy.

Dr. Cox is formerly Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he served for 25 years advising the President on monetary and other economic policies.  He holds the unique distinction of being the Federal Reserve System's only Chief Economist in history and today is a Senior Fellow with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

Cox is widely published in the nation's leading business press, Fed publications and academic journals.   He is the author of numerous op ed articles for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Financial Times, and Investor's Business Daily and his work has appeared in virtually every major newspaper and magazine worldwide.

Dr. Cox co-authored the Fed's acclaimed series of annual report essays on capitalism, globalization and American living standards. He has contributed to a number of public policy issues, and his research is frequently designated as required reading for Congress.

Dr. Richard M. Ebeling

Richard M. Ebeling is Professor of Economics at Northwood University. He was formerly president of The Foundation for Economic Education (2003–2008), was the Ludwig von Mises Professor of Economics at Hillsdale College (1988–2003) in Hillsdale, Michigan, and served as vice president of academic affairs for The Future of Freedom Foundation (1989–2003).

Born in New York City in 1950, he received his B.A. in economics from California State University, Sacramento, and his M.A. in economics from Rutgers University. Professor Ebeling has been a lecturer in economics at the National University of Ireland at Cork (1981–1983), and assistant professor of economics at the University of Dallas (1984–1988).

While serving as vice president for The Future of Freedom Foundation, Professor Ebeling co-edited and contributed to five books published by The Future of Freedom Foundation and he wrote a monthly article and book review for FFF's publication Freedom Daily. His articles have also appeared in The Freeman, Reason, Libertarian Review, Critical Review, Political Studies, Advances in Austrian Economics, The Austrian Economics Newsletter, International Journal of World Peace, American Journal of Economics and Sociology,and numerous other publications. As well, his articles have been published in Brazil, England, Austria, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, and Russia.

Dr. Dale M. Matcheck

Dr. Matcheck is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Northwood University. He earned his BS from the University of Michigan in Economics and his Ph.D. from Cornell University: his dissertation and research interests are in the economics of property rights and environmental quality. Matcheck is an advisor for Students in Free Enterprise and a developer of economist trading cards (as seen in The Wall Street Journal and Dave Barry's Christmas Gift Guide).  Dale is the author of numerous articles and the co-author, co-editor of When We Are Free.

Dr. Maurice P. McTigue

The Honorable Maurice McTigue, QSO, is vice president and visiting scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He is director of the Mercatus Center's Government Accountability Project and a member of its Spending and Budget Initiative and State and Local Policy Project. 

He joined the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in 1997, where he has advised the Office of Management and Budget and most federal agencies in the Clinton and Bush administrations. He has consulted with legislators and governors in over 20 states. In 2003, he was appointed to the Office of Personnel Management Senior Review Committee, formed to make recommendations for new Human Resources systems at the then newly created Department of Homeland Security. McTigue and the Mercatus Center served as special advisors to Louisiana's Commission on Streamlining Government. In 2010, McTigue was named to Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring.

A seasoned expert on government reform, McTigue brings practical experience and scholarly research to the table from his distinguished career as a former cabinet minister and member of parliament in his native New Zealand. Holding seven different ministerial portfolios during his nine years in the New Zealand parliament, McTigue was one of the architects of the "New Zealand miracle," which dramatically reformed the country's government and economy by implementing market-driven, pro-growth policies. A farmer by trade, McTigue served in New Zealand's parliament from 1985 to 1993 before becoming his country's ambassador to Canada.

In a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 1999, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed upon McTigue the prestigious Queen’s Service Order in recognition of his public service, one of the highest honors attainable for civil service in New Zealand.

Dr. Timothy G. Nash

David E. Fry Endowed Professor & Vice President of Strategic and Corporate Alliances

Timothy Nash joined Northwood in 1980 and received a B.B.A. from the university, an M.A. in Economics from Central Michigan University, and his doctorate with his cognate in business administration from Wayne State University. He is an associate professor of Economics and Business for the undergraduate program and is an associate professor of Economics and Public Policy at the DeVos Graduate School. His travels and research have taken him to over 20 countries from China and Hong Kong to Poland and Norway where he also participated in academic colloquiums. Dr. Nash is an adjunct scholar with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland and the former State Director of Economic Education for the clergy for the State of Michigan. Dr. Nash has co-authored four books and conducted research and consulting for a number of Fortune 500 companies, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). He serves on the boards of the Free Enterprise Institute (FEI) in Houston, Texas, Junior Achievement of Central Michigan, Inc., and Gerace Construction among others.

Mr. Jonathan Williams

Jonathan Williams is the director of the Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force for the American
Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), where he works with state legislators and the private sector to develop free-market fiscal policy in the states. Prior to joining ALEC, Jonathan served as staff economist at the Tax Foundation, authoring numerous tax policy studies. His work has been featured in many publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Forbes and Investor's Business Daily. Williams is a contributor to The Examiner (Washington, D.C.) and writes a syndicated column for the Flint Hills Center for Public Policy in Wichita, Kan., where he also serves as an adjunct fiscal policy fellow. He is a contributing author to the Reason Foundation's Rich States, Poor States Annual Privatization Report and has written for Tax Analysts, a scholarly journal dedicated to tax issues. Williams has also appeared on numerous television outlets, including FOX Business News.

Rabbi Aryeh Spero

Aryeh Spero is a columnist for the American Thinker, and his articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, National Review, New York Sun, Human Events Weekly, Newsmax.com, N.Y. Daily News, American Thinker, TownHall, Policy Review, American Conservative Union, Christian American, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Fundamentalist Journal, Judaism, Tradition, Midstream, Free Congress Foundation, Response, Jewish Spectator, Post and Opinion, Sh'ma, Jewish World Review, Free Republic, Viewpoint, Jewish Press, newspapers in Hickory, N.C., Beaumont, Texas, Bucks County, Pa. and Canton, Ohio, and he contributed a chapter to Cultural Conservatism. For over ten years, Rabbi Spero was a columnist for Human Events Online.

He has spoken in front of the National Press Club, testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee,  has addressed The Heritage Foundation and is a frequent speaker and crowd-rouser for the New York State Conservative Party.  He is an acclaimed public speaker, inspiring diverse audiences.