Dr. Rogers joined the faculty of the Economics and Finance Department in the fall of 2001 after a five-year affiliation with the college’s Center for Entrepreneurship.  During his tenure at the Center, he headed a $490,000 project analyzing entrepreneurial and economic activity in selected areas of the City of Buffalo.  Dr. Rogers earlier served as executive director of the Office of Urban Initiatives, Inc., in Buffalo, overseeing a nonprofit community and economic development organization comprising 150 members.  He also was instrumental in creating a program resulting in an 18% increase in the number of procurement contracts issued by municipal governments to minority-and female-owned businesses.