An economist, educator, and author based in Hattiesburg, MS, Dr. Mark Klinedinst has spent much of his career at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he served as professor and later emeritus professor of economics. Dr. Mark Klinedinst also authored a book, Katrina Ten Years After, which examines the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, offering a look at how communities in Louisiana and Mississippi adapted in the years following the disaster.

Dr. Klinedinst earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Clark University and later completed graduate studies in economics at Cornell University, where he received multiple teaching awards. Organizations such as the Filene Research Institute, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, and the U.S. National Council for Eurasian and Eastern European Research support his academic research. From 2003 to 2005, he chaired the Department of Economics, Finance, and International Business at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Beyond academia, Dr. Klinedinst participates in local and regional community efforts. He co-founded the Pine Belt Farmers’ and Artisans Market and serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Indian Springs Farmers Association and the International Association for the Economics of Participation. His community work focuses on sustainability, cooperative development, and local revitalization. In his personal time, he enjoys woodworking, gardening, surfing, and spending time outdoors.