David R. Barker
{{short description|American author, academic and businessman (born 1961)}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = David R. Barker
| image = Barker David.jpg
| caption = Barker in 2008
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| alma_mater = University of California, Berkeley (BA)
University of Chicago (MA, PhD)
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| occupation = Economist
| title = Regent, Board of Regents, State of Iowa
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| spouse = Sarah Richardson
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David R. Barker (born May 7, 1961) is an American author, academic, businessman, and politician, who began serving as a regent on the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa on May 1, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/iowa-senate-confirms-appointees-including-three-to-board-of-regents/article_905dfac7-82ff-5f63-9e0d-83d27109b805.html|title=Iowa Senate confirms 184 appointees, including three to Board of Regents |website=Sioux City Journal |date=April 8, 2019 |access-date=2019-04-15}} A former economist for the Federal Reserve, Barker operates a real estate and finance company{{Cite web|url=http://www.chicagobooth.edu/mc/2010/bios/barker.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528212032/http://www.chicagobooth.edu/mc/2010/bios/barker.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-05-28|title=58th Annual Management Conference 2010: Speaker Profile|date=2010-05-28|access-date=2018-09-30}} and is an Iowa Republican Party official.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iowagop.org/about/leadership/|title=Leadership -|website=iowagop.org|date=August 29, 2014|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-02|archive-date=May 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522111015/https://www.iowagop.org/about/leadership/|url-status=live}} His academic research has been covered in print and broadcast media including Marketplace,{{cite web|url=http://www.marketplace.org/topics/life/alaska-did-we-get-what-we-paid|title=Alaska: Did we get what we paid for?|date=December 7, 2009|publisher=American Public Media|accessdate=April 22, 2014|archive-date=April 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428004259/http://www.marketplace.org/topics/life/alaska-did-we-get-what-we-paid|url-status=live}} As It Happens,{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/episode/2009/11/10/november-10-2009/|title=Alaska Net Loss|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212090522/http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/episode/2009/11/10/november-10-2009/}} The Economist,{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/node/21538697|title=Pass the hemlock: Just imagine that countries still traded land for money|date=November 19, 2011|accessdate=March 25, 2012|newspaper=The Economist}} Time,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2013850-1,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016000003/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2013850-1,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 16, 2011|title=Is Homeownership Good for the Kids|last=Kiviat|first=Barbara|date=September 11, 2010|accessdate=March 25, 2012|magazine=Time}} and The New York Times.{{cite news|url=https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/how-alaska-became-a-federal-aid-magnet/|title=How Alaska Became a Federal Aid Magnet|last=Powell|first=Michael|date=August 18, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=March 25, 2012|archive-date=January 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105083503/http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/how-alaska-became-a-federal-aid-magnet/|url-status=live}} He has also written for U.S. News & World Report,{{cite journal|url=https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2012/04/09/five-economic-mistakes-obama-is-making|title=Five Economic Mistakes Obama is Making|journal=U.S. News & World Report|accessdate=April 21, 2014|archive-date=April 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428001637/http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2012/04/09/five-economic-mistakes-obama-is-making|url-status=live}} The Christian Science Monitor,{{cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/0214/Five-budget-realities-no-politician-will-talk-about-not-even-Ron-Paul/Medicare-is-America-s-largest-budget-burden|title=Five budget realities no politician will talk about|last=Barker|first=David|accessdate=April 21, 2014|work=The Christian Science Monitor|archive-date=April 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428004036/http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/0214/Five-budget-realities-no-politician-will-talk-about-not-even-Ron-Paul/Medicare-is-America-s-largest-budget-burden|url-status=live}} Collier's,{{cite news|url=https://colliersmagazine.com/article/everlasting-problems-social-security|title=The Everlasting Problems with Social Security|last=Barker|first=David|magazine=Collier's|accessdate=April 21, 2014|archive-date=April 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428014406/https://colliersmagazine.com/article/everlasting-problems-social-security|url-status=dead}} and other publications.
Early life and education
David Barker is a sixth-generation Iowan. He graduated from Iowa City West High School, then received a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago. He also attended the London School of Economics during his junior year of college.
Academic career
After completing graduate school Barker worked as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, helping to develop an early warning system for failing banks and methods to detect racial discrimination in mortgage lending, as well as conducting analysis of the Basel Accord capital requirements.
After moving back to Iowa in 1994, Barker taught real estate and corporate finance at the University of Iowa as an adjunct professor.{{Cite web|url=http://db.desmoinesregister.com/state-salaries-for-iowa/page=1300&ordercol=col3&orderdir=asc|title=Database: State of Iowa employee salaries|website=The Des Moines Register |access-date=2018-09-30}}{{Cite news |first=Mara |last=Gay |url=http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/11/20/112011-news-congress-millionaires-1-4/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913212744/http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/11/20/112011-news-congress-millionaires-1-4/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-09-13|title=Hill of Means |work=The Daily |date=November 20, 2011 |via=archive.is|access-date=2018-09-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://iam.uiowa.edu/whitepages/?p=hAAeUNrxmD37z93YIs5Hyw==|title=Directory Search|publisher=The University of Iowa|access-date=2018-09-30|archive-date=July 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704203106/https://iam.uiowa.edu/whitepages/?p=hAAeUNrxmD37z93YIs5Hyw==|url-status=live}} In 1997 he began teaching real estate to MBAs at the University of Chicago, which he continued to do until 2007. Barker also taught urban economics to undergraduates at the University of Chicago for several years. He has also taught at CIMBA in Paderno del Grappa, Italy.{{Cite web |title=National Multi-Housing Council |url=https://www.nmhc.org/globalassets/meetings/meeting-presentations/speaker-bios.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930231640/https://www.nmhc.org/globalassets/meetings/meeting-presentations/speaker-bios.pdf |archive-date=2018-09-30}}
Barker's academic research covers a variety of topics, including real estate markets, urban economics, terrorism insurance, health economics, business ethics, economic history, and libertarian political economy.
A 2009 paper on the effects of home ownership on children received widespread attention. It argued that previous academic work showing positive effects of home ownership on children's test scores and behavior failed in adequately controlling for factors other than home ownership and that when they are taken into account, home ownership has no economically or statistically-significant effects.{{cite journal |last=Barker |first=David R. |url=https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol15num2/ch19.pdf |title=The Evidence Does Not Show That Homeownership Benefits Children |journal=Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research |volume=15 |number=2 |year=2013 |pages=231–234}}{{cite journal |title=Home ownership and Child Welfare |last1=Barker |first1=David |first2=Eric |last2=Miller |journal=Real Estate Economics |volume=37 |issue=2 |date=July 2009 |pages=279–303|doi=10.1111/j.1540-6229.2009.00243.x |citeseerx=10.1.1.485.8064 |s2cid=153817979 }}
A paper analyzing the economics of the 1867 Alaska Purchase by the US from Russia argued that the financial returns to the federal government, tax revenue minus administrative costs, have been lower than alternative investments with similar risk.{{cite news |title=Economist: Alaska purchase hasn't paid off for US |url=https://www.adn.com/uncategorized/article/economist-alaska-purchase-hasnt-paid-us/2009/11/06/ |newspaper=Anchorage Daily News |accessdate=July 8, 2018 |orig-year=November 11, 2009 |date=September 29, 2016 |archive-date=July 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709011114/https://www.adn.com/uncategorized/article/economist-alaska-purchase-hasnt-paid-us/2009/11/06/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |last=Tabarrok |first=Alex |title=Was Alaska a Good Buy? |url=http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2010/02/was-alaska-a-good-buy.html |website=marginalrevolution |accessdate=March 25, 2012 |date=2010-02-16 |archive-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207040915/http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2010/02/was-alaska-a-good-buy.html |url-status=live }}
Barker is the author of Welcome to Free America,{{cite book |last=Barker |first=David R. |title=Welcome to Free America |publisher=Free America Immigration Services Press |location=Indiana |date=October 26, 2011 |isbn=978-1105027796}}{{cite web |last=Guerrero |first=Aaron |title=Economist Imagines Lifting the Leviathan |url=http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_84/Economist-Imagines-Lifting-the-Leviathan-211749-1.html|publisher=Roll Call|accessdate=March 25, 2012|date=2012-01-24}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025}} a book set in 2057 as a guide to immigrants coming to the former United States after the collapse of government. It describes a difficult period of transition, but eventually, private companies take over functions previously performed by governments, such as security, dispute resolution, production of money and infrastructure, and national defense. The result is a society that is different, in many ways, from today.{{cite web |last=Laib |first=Steven D. |title=Welcome to Free America |url=http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2012/02/25/welcome-to-free-america/ |publisher=Intellectual Conservative |accessdate=March 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330144121/http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2012/02/25/welcome-to-free-america |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }} Barker stated that he does not advocate the elimination of government and that his book is only an attempt to explore where libertarian ideas might lead. According to him, the result could be considered by different people to be a utopia or a dystopia.{{Cite web|url=http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2011/december/122011Barker_libertarianism.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109043159/http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2011/december/122011Barker_libertarianism.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 9, 2012|title=University of Iowa News Release|date=December 20, 2011}}
Political activities
Barker was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/rnc-2016-cleveland-donors-kingmakers-225888|title=White House hopefuls court early-state kingmakers in Cleveland|work=POLITICO|access-date=2018-09-02|language=en}} He is also a member of the State Central Committee of the Republican Party of Iowa and was appointed to the Executive Council of the Empower Rural Iowa Initiative by Governor Kim Reynolds.{{Cite news|url=https://daily-iowan.com/2018/08/23/reynolds-seeks-to-boost-rural-development/|title=Reynolds seeks to boost rural development|last=Shanahan|first=Julia|work=The Daily Iowan|access-date=2018-09-02|language=en-US|archive-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902221005/https://daily-iowan.com/2018/08/23/reynolds-seeks-to-boost-rural-development/|url-status=live}}
Business activities
Barker's companies own over 2,000 apartments in the Midwestern United States, along with office buildings, self-storage facilities, and convenience stores. Barker is also president of Barker Financial, which makes commercial loans.{{Cite web|url=https://www.corridorbusiness.com/news/boom-little-gloom-at-iowa-city-economic-forecast/|title=Boom & little gloom at Iowa City economic forecast|website=corridorbusiness.com|date=May 22, 2018|access-date=2018-09-30|archive-date=September 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930233527/https://www.corridorbusiness.com/news/boom-little-gloom-at-iowa-city-economic-forecast/|url-status=live}} Barker has also constructed new apartments.{{Cite news|url=https://qctimes.com/business/silvis-welcomes-growth-in-commercial-residential-offerings/article_df888c84-5d36-11e2-91cf-001a4bcf887a.html|title=Silvis welcomes growth in commercial, residential offerings|last=Schorpp|first=Doug|work=Quad-City Times|access-date=2018-09-30|language=en|archive-date=October 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001030858/https://qctimes.com/business/silvis-welcomes-growth-in-commercial-residential-offerings/article_df888c84-5d36-11e2-91cf-001a4bcf887a.html|url-status=live}} In 2017 and 2018 Barker completed historic renovation projects in Marion, Iowa,{{Cite web|url=http://mariontoday.org/times/article.php?id=7021|title=Large group celebrates Cobban-Hervey ribbon-cutting |website=Marion Times |access-date=2018-09-30}} Fort Madison, Iowa,{{Cite news|url=https://www.pencitycurrent.com/2018/07/23/barker-ready-to-cut-ribbon-on-upper-apartments/|title=Barker ready to cut ribbon on upper apartments > PenCityCurrent.com|date=2018-07-24|work=PenCityCurrent.com|access-date=2018-09-30|language=en-US}} and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin,{{Cite news|url=http://lodgingmagazine.com/hotel-retlaw-will-reopen-fall-2018/|title=Wisconsin's Hotel Retlaw Will Open After Renovation This Fall|date=2018-02-23|work=Lodging|access-date=2018-09-30|language=en-US}} and a $20.4 million purchase of apartments in Little Rock, Arkansas.{{Cite news|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/jul/29/spanish-viento-apartments-sell-for-10-t/|title=In $20.4M deal, Little Rock apartments sell|date=2018-07-29|work=Arkansas Online|access-date=2018-09-30|language=en|archive-date=September 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930231843/https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/jul/29/spanish-viento-apartments-sell-for-10-t/|url-status=live}}
References
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Category:University of Chicago faculty
Category:Writers from Iowa City, Iowa
Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni
Category:University of Chicago alumni