Interests

Health Sector Planning in Rural Communities, Business Retention and Expansion, Economic Impacts and Economic Value of Recreational Boating, Recreational Boater Safety and Participation - Environmental Economics, Community Economics, Economics of Recreational Boating and Fishing, Economics of Health Care in Rural Communities

Biographical Info

Dr. Hushak’s serves at coordinator of Operation Rural Health Works (ORHW), a strategic planning program to assist leaders in rural communities of Ohio develop strategic objectives for the economic viability of health businesses in their communities and the provision of quality health services to community residents. ORHW is an option within the Ohio Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) initiative. As Director of the Ohio BRE program during 1990-94, Dr. Hushak oversaw 30 programs conducted in Ohio, and developed BRE programs which focused on retail and visitor or recreation based businesses to complement the industrial program as well as neighborhood based R&E programs in metropolitan areas. Dr. Hushak also continues to conduct research within the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. Current and recent research includes 1) statewide studies of the economic impacts and economic values of recreational boating and fishing on the Ohio economy and on the Lake Erie coastal area, and of recreational boater safety and participation in Ohio, 2) studies of the economic value of recreational boating on the Ottawa River in Toledo Ohio to establish a basis for dredging the river, and 3) a survey of recreational visitors to Ottawa and Erie counties on Lake Erie. From 1990 to 1997 he served as Associate Director of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program and Leader of the Ohio Sea Grant Extension program.