Rob Wells, Ph.D. 135 N. Oklahoma Way., Fayetteville, Ar. 72701 | (443) 591-1189 [email protected] Twitter: @rwells1961

Experience

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ar.: August 2016-Present. --Assistant Professor, School of Journalism and Strategic Media. Full-time, tenure-track research and teaching position at Arkansas’ flagship state university. Developed and taught three new courses in data journalism, journalism theory and business journalism. --Graduate Coordinator. Lead graduate studies program for School of Journalism and Strategic Media; review applications, recruit and advise students, other tasks. Spring 2019-present.

University of Maryland, College Park, Md.: Fall 2010-Summer 2016. --Adjunct Faculty, Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Created and taught business reporting class for undergraduate students since Spring 2013; Taught basic and intermediate news reporting and writing, 2010-2012.

University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.: 2012-2013. --Reynolds Visiting Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Created, taught two business journalism classes and helped launch school’s business journalism program. Consultant for state’s public television (SCETV) on business news venture with university. Spring 2012. --Adjunct Lecturer. Taught business reporting class online. Spring 2013. --Lecturer/Consultant. Helped build school’s business journalism program through lectures, online presentations, social media outreach. Consultant for business news venture with SCETV. Fall 2012.

Dow Jones Newswires/, Washington, D.C.: 2002-2011. --Deputy Bureau Chief, WSJ, Washington, Dec. 2010-Nov. 2011. Ran real-time news coverage for combined WSJ/Newswires bureau, 70 reporters. Edited and assigned articles for Newswires, WSJ.com and The Wall Street Journal. Recruited, hired and trained reporters. --Newswires Washington Bureau Chief, Dec. 2006-Dec. 2010. Managed 22-person Newswires staff. Assigned, edited articles. Recruited, hired and trained reporters. --Deputy Bureau Chief, June 2002-Dec. 2006: Tax reporter for Newswires, covered Congress, IRS, executive agencies; assisted running Newswires bureau. Articles published in The Wall Street Journal. Recruited, trained reporters.

Bloomberg News, Washington, D.C., 1998-2002. --Banking and tax reporter, covered Congress, IRS, financial regulators. Helped manage two-person banking team.

The Associated Press, Reporter, 1987-1998. --Washington: Tax Writer, Business writer, 1994-1998. New York: Business writer, banking,

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1990-1994. Pikeville, Ky.: Correspondent, 1989-1990. Fresno, Ca.: Reporter, 1987-1989. Carson City, Nev.: Reporter, 1987

Education

University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, College Park, Md. --Doctor of Philosophy, Journalism Studies. June 2016. GPA 4.0.

St. John’s College, Annapolis, Md. --Master of Arts, Liberal Studies. Philosophy, history, literature, political science. 2013.

California State University, Sacramento, Ca. --Bachelor of Arts, Government, minor in English. 1984.

Publications

The Enforcers: How Little-Known Trade Reporters Exposed the Keating Five and Advanced Business Journalism, , University of Illinois Press; November 2019.

“Willard Kiplinger, Business Journalist,” in American National Biography New York, N.Y: Oxford University Press, Forthcoming, Fall 2019.

“Al Neuharth, USA Today Founder.” In American National Biography. New York, N.Y: Oxford University Press, Forthcoming, Fall 2019.

“Investigative Reporting: Identifying Local Stories and Angles,” in Guide to Business Beat Basics Phoenix, Ariz.: Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, 2019.

“Book Review: The Voice of America: Lowell Thomas and the Invention of 20th-Century Journalism.” History: Reviews of New Books, 2019.

“Book Review: Media Amnesia.” Critical Studies in Media Communication, October 2, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2018.1526391.

“NYS Historic Newspapers.” American Journalism, 2018. Review of a digital resource for journalism history researchers. Feb. 8, 2019. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08821127.2018.1529499

“Stan Strachan and the National Thrift News: Gutsy Financial Journalism in the 1980’s S&L Crisis.” Financial History, Spring 2017.

“John J. Kiernan: Business Journalism Pioneer, 1845-1893.” Financial History, no. 123 (Fall 2017): 24–28.

Chadha, Kalyani and Rob Wells, “Journalistic Responses to Technological Innovation in Newsrooms” Digital Journalism. January 2016. . .

“What Would Aristotle Say About ? Or Why We Excuse Moral Weakness” Palaver, Web. The University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Graduate Liberal Studies Program. Fall 2013.

“Rumor and the Aeneid” Palaver, Web. The University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Graduate Liberal Studies Program. Summer 2013.

Awards

Collaborative Research Grant, University of Arkansas, $2,500 to work with Prof. Ka Zeng of Political Science on media coverage of Chinese investment in the U.S. November 2018.

Robert C. and Sandra Connor Endowed Faculty Fellowship Award. $5,000 stipend for research and teaching from the Fulbright College at the University of Arkansas. April 2018.

Ray Hiebert History of Journalism Endowed Award, University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Doctoral dissertation was awarded for the best work of journalism history by any graduate student or faculty member in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Award provides $1,000. March 2017.

Collaborative Research Grant, University of Arkansas, $1,921 to work with Walton College of Business Finance Professor Timothy Yeager on data journalism, mortgage lending trends in Arkansas and Oklahoma. November 2016.

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Top Paper Competition, History Division, Student Category, 2015 for the paper, “A Strong Sense of Outrage: Stan Strachan, The National Thrift News and The .” Paper to be presented at AEJMC national conference, August 2015, .

University of Maryland Graduate School, Summer Research Fellowship. A $5,000 fellowship to conduct doctoral dissertation research. April, 2015.

Professor Thomas J. Aylward Scholarship. A $1,000 scholarship awarded to top Philip Merrill College doctoral students. April 2015.

Reynolds Visiting Professor. One of four journalists picked for business journalism education program under a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, Phoenix, Ariz. January 2012.

Business Writer In Residence, University of Wisconsin at Madison. Oct. 1999

The Society of the Silurians, New York City, Excellence in Journalism, Business and Financial Reporting, 1996.

Associated Press, Kentucky, Staffer of the Year, 1990.

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Lectures, Presentations

University of Navarra. “The Enforcers: Investigative Reporting in the Trade Press A Case Study of Media Coverage in the U.S. Savings and Loan Crisis, 1986-1990.” For the conference Media, Crises and Bubbles. Invited speaker to conference of international scholars on business journalism. Dec. 14, 2018. Pamplona, Spain.

Arkansas House of Representatives, Education Committee. Testimony on behalf of Society of Professional Journalists, Northwest Arkansas Chapter, in support of legislation to make journalism a statewide elective for high schools. Feb 28, 2019

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications --“What Works: Introducing Business Fundamentals into Your Curriculum.” Presentation on pedagogy and business journalism for undergraduate college courses. Panel sponsored by Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism. Aug. 8, 2018, national conference, Washington, D.C. --“Biting the Hand: Accountability Journalism in the Trade Press.” Presentation Aug. 7, 2018, national conference, Washington, D.C. --“Political Economy, Business Journalism and Agency: An Examination.” Paper presented Aug. 11, 2017, national conference, Chicago. --“A Strong Sense of Outrage: Stan Strachan, The National Thrift News and The Savings and Loan Crisis,” Best student paper, history division, Aug. 9, 2015, national conference in San Francisco.

Investigative Reporters and Editors --“Visualizing the State and Local Economy.” National conference, pre-conference session. Houston, June 2019. --“Business Watchdogs: How to Dig Up Background on Brokers and Money Managers.” National conference, pre-conference session. Orlando, Fla., June 2018. --Presentation on Internet research for economic data, researching Securities and Exchange Commission Edgar database for company documents. St. Louis, June 1994

Society of American Business Writers and Editors (Sabew) --Moderator, “Visualizing the State and Local Economy.” Organized and led panel with Jeannine Aversa and Thomas Dahl of Bureau of Economic Research. April 27, 2018. National conference, Washington, D.C. --Moderator, “Disrupting the Education Business Model,” Panelists included president of Phoenix University, senior executive of Western Governors University and former undersecretary for U.S. Department of Education. Sabew Spring Meeting, Phoenix, March 29, 2014 --Panelist, “Moving from the Newsroom to the Classroom,” Sabew Spring Meeting, Phoenix, March 29, 2014 --Lectures on government reporting at the Goldschmidt Data Workshop, Washington, D.C., Jan. 13, 2014 --How to Research Stock Brokers. Sabew Fall Meeting, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York, Oct. 2, 2013 --Presentation on Internet research for economic data, Washington, May 1995 . .

Joint Journalism and Communication History Conference, American Journalism Historians - Media History Symposium (JJCHC) --“Keating’s War on the Press,” March 9, 2019, JJCHC, New York University, New York. --“Business and Press Tension: The Pivotal Era of the 1970s,” March 11, 2017, JJCHC, New York University, New York. --“Commercialism and Business Journalism: The Debate Over Independence,” JJCHC, New York University, New York, March 12, 2016. --“A Strong Sense of Outrage: Stan Strachan, The National Thrift News and The Savings and Loan Crisis,” JJCHC, New York University, March 21, 2015.

American Journalism Historians Association -- “John J. Kiernan: Business Journalism Pioneer, 1845-1893,” Research in progress presented at national conference of journalism historians. Little Rock, Ar. Oct. 14, 2017

Business History Conference --“The Evolution of Business Journalism, Historical Perspectives.” I presented this research at a panel I organized for an international business history conference. March, 2017, Denver, Colo.

Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism --“Business Watchdogs: How to Dig Up Background on Brokers and Money Managers.” Strictly Financials Workshop, Washington, D.C., March 2018. --How to Research Stock Brokers. Online webinar, April 9, 2014 --Avoiding Rookie Mistakes. Presentation for Reynolds 2014 Business Journalism Professors Seminar, Phoenix, Jan. 3, 2014. --How to Research Stock Brokers. At Sabew Fall Conference, New York City, Oct. 4, 2013

Dow Jones News Fund --Lectures for Summer Business Reporting Interns, Online, May 30, June 6, 2016 --Lectures for Summer Business Reporting Interns, New York University, N.Y., May 25-26, 2015

East Coast Graduate Liberal Studies Conference --“Phenomenology and Journalism,” Stockton University, Galloway, N.J., June 11, 2016 --“Ricoeur, Collective Memory and Journalism,” Stockton University, June 13, 2015 --“Rumor and the Aeneid,” St. John’s College, Annapolis, Md. June, 10, 2014 --“What Would Aristotle Say About Bill Clinton?” Georgetown University, June 15, 2013

Media & Civil Rights History Symposium --“`Racism & Greed’: Black Press Editorials About the ,” University of South Carolina, Columbia, April 3, 2015

Sigma Xi, University of Arkansas Chapter, Brown Bag Lecture -- “Case studies in business journalism covering business ethics and the corrupt banker.” Nov. 16, 2018 . .

Lilly Conference on College and University Teaching and Learning --“Active Learning Assessments,” presentation with Pallavi Guha, Bethesda, Md. May 29, 2014

University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, College Park, Md. Guest lectures for various journalism classes, such as Capital News Service, investigative reporting, business of journalism, intermediate reporting classes, Fall 2010-Spring 2016.

University of Maryland Graduate School --Q&A With Experienced Graduate Student Teachers. Aug. 28, 2015

University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. --Visiting Business Journalism Professional, numerous lectures to journalism and public relations classes, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Nov. 4-8, 2013 --Moderator and organizer, “Lessons from the 2008 Financial Crisis for Educators and Journalists,” Convergence and Society Annual Conference. Organized and led panel featuring a Federal Reserve Bank economist, a Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones editor and an investigative reporter from . Sept. 2012 --Moderator and organizer, public lecture on business reporting issues by Robert Stickler, communications executive, Bank of America. February 2012. --Moderator and organizer, public lecture on investigative reporting by David Cay Johnston, former New York Times investigative reporter and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, March 2012. --Public Lecture at School of Journalism “Facebook: Mixed Messages.” Nov. 5, 2013 --Public Lecture at School of Journalism’s IComm Week: “Mitt Romney, Private Equity and The Robber Baron Myth.” October 2012. --Numerous guest lectures to journalism and public relations classes, including online lectures, for School of Journalism and Mass Communications, 2012-2013.

Limestone College, Columbia, S.C.: Lecture on current topics in business journalism. Presentation for Prof. John Crangle’s American history course. January, 2012

Catholic University, Washington, D.C. “From Cronkite to the Journal on an iPad…the New Model of a Profitable News Service.” Lecture for faculty on current trends in financial news services. March 2011

Bulldog Reporter, Media Relations Summit, Washington, D.C. Panelist, discussed financial news industry, Washington coverage. June 2007

Securities Industry Association: New York City Panelist discussed presidential elections and financial services for fall conference, Sept. 2004. Boca Raton, Fla.: Speech on financial services legislation, regulation and politics at spring conference, June 2002.

Credit Union National Association, Washington, D.C. Presentation on financial services news coverage. Fall 1999

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University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. Business Writer in Residence. Lectures on business journalism. Topics included history of Nasdaq, survey of financial news wires, Basic database reporting, Securities and Exchange Commission database research, Corporate reporting, IRS restructuring. Oct. 1999

North American Securities Administrators Association, Spring Conference, Washington, D.C. Led panel on securities litigation legislation, lectured about findings of AP’s “Wall Street Wrongdoers” series. April 1996

Unity `94, , Ga. Presentation on Internet research for economic data, researching Securities and Exchange Commission Edgar database for company documents. July 1994

C-SPAN, Bloomberg Forum, Bloomberg Cable television appearances, Washington, D.C. Discussed banking, tax legislation for C-Span in U.S. Capitol. For Bloomberg, interviewed various industry officials for online video news service; guests included CEO of Capital One, head lobbyist for Merrill Lynch & Co., leader of Puerto Rico’s Senate. 1997 -2002

Professional Activities:

--Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. --Panels Coordinator, American Journalism Historians Association. --Secretary, Society of Professional Journalists, Northwest Arkansas Chapter --Member, Association for Educators In Journalism and Mass Communication --Member, Society of American Business Editors and Writers --Member, Phi Kappa Phi, academic honor society, University of Maryland.

--Reviewer, AEJMC Newspaper and Online News Division, 2017-present. --Judge, Society of American Business Editors and Writers, Best in Business 2016 contest for commentary, 2017; Lead judge, technology division, 2018. --Judge, Best Business Reporting, Daily Newspapers, South Carolina Press Association, Spring 2013. --Judge, Enterprise Community Foundation, Fellowship for Housing Crisis Seminar, 2015-2016

Continuing Education:

R for Journalists, Online course, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. The University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism. August-September 2018. Data Visualization, Online course, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. The University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism. June-July 2018. National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting, annual conference, Chicago. In-depth training on R, Python. March, 2018. Building Bots For Journalism: Software You Can Talk With, Online course, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. The University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism. February-March 2018. . .

National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting, annual conference, Jacksonville, Fla. In-depth training on Python, SQL, Tableau, statistics. March, 2017. Data Exploration and Storytelling, Online course, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. The University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism. January-March 2017.

Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, University of Maryland Teaching Portfolio Retreat, January 14-16, 2015 Lilly Conference on College and University Teaching and Learning Sessions on instructional technology, assessment, professional development. Bethesda, Md. May 29, 2014 Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting, February, 2014, Baltimore, Md. Also attended numerous national conferences, seminars on reporting, editing, writing, computer skills. 1994 to current. The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Chicago, August 2012. Attended numerous seminars at national conference for journalism educators. Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, Phoenix, Ariz., January, 2012. Weeklong seminar for business journalism educators. Misc, 2012: Various webinars on financial reporting, Census bureau research, financial analysis, private company reporting. Society of American Business Editors and Writers spring meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., March 2012. Attended numerous seminars on financial reporting. Also, webinars on financial reporting. Associated Press, National Seminar on Computer Assisted Reporting, Nashville. Seminar led by Bill Dedman, then director of AP’s computer assisted reporting team. Worked with Dedman on two extensive database reporting projects. March 1995 University of Maryland, Knight Center for Journalism, Business – Economics Reporting Fellowship, January 1991. Weeklong seminar for working journalists on economics reporting.

Student Journalism:

Society of Professional Journalists, Region 12 Spring Conference, First Place, Online In-Depth Reporting, “Arkansas veterans face higher suicide rates - by Lindsey Guimont and Kayla Nunez, University of Arkansas.” March 16-17, 2018, Little Rock. I assigned and edited this article in my Fall 2017 data journalism class and submitted it to SPJ.

Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. 2016 Awards, Finalist, Student Reporting, Large, for “Discharging Trouble,” an investigation of nursing home practices by my class at the Merrill College. April 2017

School of Journalism and Strategic Media, Fayetteville, Ar.:

“Arkansas Student Loan Debt Continues to Grow,” directed a class of nine undergraduate students to analyze student loan debt trends and the experience of recent graduates with managing debt burdens. Media coverage of project on KUAF. December 2018.

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“Working for Low Wages in Arkansas,” led class of six undergraduate and graduate students to analyze low-wage workers in Northwest Arkansas. Class produced multimedia series focused on key findings and interviews. Project published statewide on Arkansas Public Media. Media coverage of project on Arkansas Public Media, KUAF. June 2018.

“Since 2014 Phoenix Scandal, VA Health Care Improving in Arkansas,” led class of 12 undergraduate students to analyze Veterans Administration hospital care data in Northwest Arkansas. Class produced multimedia series focused on key findings and interviews. Project published statewide on Arkansas Public Media. Media coverage of project on Arkansas Public Media, KUAF. Project resulted in one story winning a regional SPJ award. December 2017. “Housing Loans Difficult for NW Arkansas Minorities,” led class of 11 undergraduate students to analyze mortgage rejection rates by race and ethnicity in Northwest Arkansas. Class produced multimedia series focused on lending disparities. Publication pending at Arkansas Public Media. January 2017.

Capital News Service, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, College Park, Md.

“Discharging Trouble,” led class of seven undergraduate business journalism students to report and publish a multimedia series investigating abuse of elderly and disabled people improperly discharged from nursing homes. Coordinated editing with fellow faculty members to produce the series and data work. Series led the Maryland Attorney General to file a lawsuit, obtain $2.2 million settlement from nursing home. Series published by The Associated Press and on 42 newspapers’ websites nationwide, including , Charlotte Observer and San Francisco Chronicle. September, 2016.

“In Poor Health,” assisted in editing reporting project investigating health care disparities in West Baltimore in wake of the Freddie Gray uprising. Directed and edited story about the unusual role CVS Corp. played in rebuilding its West Baltimore operations and its business strategy in inner-cities. Edited and mentored students, assisted lead instructor Prof. Sandra Banisky. Series published on Kaiser Health News, PBS.org, other professional websites. January 2016.

Professional Journalism:

Dow Jones Newswires / Wall Street Journal: Tax, financial services, politics. Numerous wire service reports for Dow Jones Newswires on this topics while covering Congress, executive agencies and related industries, 2002-2007. Regularly broke news on international tax legislation, 2005-2006. Occasional stories in The Wall Street Journal. Substitute for Wall Street Journal’s Tax Report column, 2002-2007. Led Newswires’ national political coverage, elections and national conventions, 2002-2010.

Bloomberg News: Tax, financial services, politics. Numerous wire service reports for Bloomberg News, covering Congress, agencies, companies, from Washington. National political coverage. Led Bush- Gore Florida vote recount coverage from Tallahassee, Fla., 2000. Cover story, Bloomberg Markets magazine, fight between and Robert Rubin over bank law changes, 1999. . .

Associated Press: Washington, 1994-1998: Tax Writer, 1997-1998. Multipart series on IRS failed computer system, 1997. Modernized AP’s annual tax package with extensive graphics package, 1997-1998. Broke national story on Speaker Gingrich and his ethics fine, 1997. Also business, financial services, white collar crime reporting. Investigative reporting: “Wall Street Wrongdoers” series, 1995, won an award. “Lloyds of London,” “Nasdaq,” “Subprime lending” investigations, 1994-1996. New York, 1990-1994: Banking, financial services, consumer finance coverage. Subprime lending, credit cards, savings and loan failures; helped coordinate global coverage of collapse of Bank of Credit and Commerce International. Investigation of U.S. banking ties to BCCI. Covered 5-month trial of BCCI lawyer Robert Altman. Kentucky, 1989-1990: General assignment, business news. Pikeville, Ky. Covered violent coal strike involving Pittston Co. and United Mine Workers. Broke national story about FBI agent who killed a pregnant woman who was his mistress and an informant. Covered trial of Larry Mahoney, drunken driver who killed school bus full of children outside of Cincinnati. Crime reporting. California, 1987-1989: General assignment, business, crime news, Fresno, Ca. Covered the 31-day fast of labor leader Cesar Chavez. Series, graphics on California’s prison building boom in Central Valley. Coverage of environmental disasters in Central Valley. Nevada: 1987: Temporary legislative reporter for AP’s Carson City bureau to cover 1987 session of Nevada legislature, environmental beat.

South Lake Daily Tribune, South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 1986. Environmental reporter, covered bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Commission, land use issues, for small daily newspaper.

San Francisco Examiner, 1984-1986. Freelance news, feature articles from California’s north coast. A1 story on AIDS hospice.

Sacramento Bee, 1985-1986. Freelance news, feature articles from north coast.

Independent Coast Observer, News Editor. 1984-1986. General news coverage for small weekly on north coast. Environmental issues. Investigation into water theft and abuse. California Press Association Public Service award shared with publisher for series on rural ambulance issues.

Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Ca. 1984. Farm writer for brief stint at small daily newspaper.

Suttertown News, Sacramento, Ca., 1983-1984. News Editor. Edited and reported for small community weekly newspaper while studying at CSU, Sacramento.

Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento, Ca. 1982-1984. Freelance feature articles on popular culture.

Other Articles: “Private Companies Research,” South Carolina Press Association, September 2012. “Business Journalism and Convergence,” Convergence & Society Newsletter, University of South Carolina, Columbia. August 2012. . .

Baldwin Business Journalism Initiative. Blog postings and commentary on current events on the initiative’s Facebook and web pages.

Volunteer Work:

Host, The Jazz Scoop, two-hour jazz radio program on KUAF, 91.3, the National Public Radio affiliate in Fayetteville, Ar., serving Northwest Arkansas. September 2018-present