Optimal Founder and CEO appointed to University of Maryland Economics Leadership Council

Date: July 1, 2018
Location: College Park, MD

Dr. Mark Turner, founder and CEO of Optimal Solutions Group, LLC, has been appointed to the University of Maryland Economics Leadership Council (ELC).

The Department of Economics is comprised of a highly-ranked Ph.D. program, Master of Professional Studies in Applied Economics, a large undergraduate program, and multiple centers. The size and diversity of the faculty permits study in virtually every major theoretical and applied area of economics including advanced macro, advanced micro, comparative institutional economics, econometrics, economic development, economic history, environmental and natural resource economics, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics, political economy, and public economics.

The ELC is the primary alumni service organization of the department and seeks to
promote the department’s student, alumni and faculty experience through advice, outreach,
events and financial support. Other members include Wall Street corporate leaders, professors from esteemed universities and representatives of think tanks.

Dr. Turner leads a staff of over 60 employees at Optimal Solutions Group, a public policy research and software development firm. Under his direction, Optimal designs and implements research studies and provides technical assistance for U.S. federal agencies, corporate, and philanthropic organizations. Prior to founding Optimal, he was a research scientist at Johns Hopkins University, and a researcher at the Urban Institute and the Government Accountability Office. Dr. Turner earned a B.A. in economics from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland at College Park.