Rank: Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Public Administration

Director, Center for Real Estate and Economic Development

John R. Lombard joined the Department of Urban Studies and Public Administration in June 2002. He teaches graduate courses in research methods, urban and regional development, and urban resource allocation. He also serves as the Director of the ODU Center for Real Estate and Economic Development. Prior to his appointment in the Department, he held a joint appointment as a Research Professor and as Vice President for Research and Information Services for the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance.

Previously, Dr. Lombard was Vice President of Business Development for the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, the statewide marketing operation for economic development. He was responsible for all client-related activities in business recruitment and real estate relations. He also managed Connecticut’s foreign investment development offices in Europe and Canada and has lived and worked in Africa and Asia.

Prior to his tenure in Connecticut, Dr. Lombard was a consultant and head of research with the New York City firm of Moran, Stahl & Boyer. His primary assignment was with the Location Selection Practice where he supervised a team of six researchers. In addition to consulting assignments with Fortune 500 corporations, Dr. Lombard developed proprietary location measures such as the Labor Market Stress Index and the Underemployment Index. In a joint effort with Fortune Magazine, Dr. Lombard provided all the community research and analysis for the “Best Cities for Business” series.

He received his Ph.D. and M.A. degrees from the State University at Buffalo. His current research interests focus on the relocation of business activity and its impact on regional economies. He is particularly interested in understanding the interplay of real estate and economic development and employing applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis.

Dr. Lombard has presented and published papers on a variety of real estate and economic development topics and has been recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as a CEcD for professional achievements and service to the profession. He has recently been appointed to the editorial advisory board of Site Selection, the largest circulated magazine focused on corporate real estate issues.

WEB: www.odu.edu/bpa/jlombard

Center for Real Estate and Economic Development

TEL: 757-683-5352
WEB: www.odu.edu/creed