John Connaughton, gregarious UNC Charlotte economist and mentor, dies at age 78
For nearly five decades, UNC Charlotte professor John Connaughton was the go-to voice for business leaders looking for clear economic insights in North Carolina and the region.
The popular economist died Wednesday, June 24, according to his obituary. He was 78. UNC Charlotte and its Belk College of Business are now mourning the passing of Connaughton, who was the university’s longest-serving faculty member as of May. He taught more than 6,000 students across 278 courses.
Connaughton possessed a rare talent for making dense economic matters accessible and easy for the public and reporters to understand, Richard Buttimer, dean of the Belk College of Business, told The Charlotte Observer Tuesday.
Buttimer added that Connaughton was also respected for his data-driven honesty in his economic assessments.
“He was really quick to say when things were going to go well and also when things were not going to go well,” Buttimer said. “He looked at the data and said, ‘Here’s what the numbers say the impact is going to be, whether it’s good or bad.’ ”
Economist John Connaughton took pride in mentoring
Connaughton joined the university in 1978 as a lecturer and spent the next 45 years there.
He was promoted to assistant professor in 1981 and associate professor in 1984, when he also received tenure. Later, in 1991, he became a professor of economics, and a professor of financial economics in 2010. He was also appointed coordinator of the Master of Science in Economics and Finance program.
“He was probably, certainly for the college and maybe the university, the most publicly engaged and publicly known faculty member,” Buttimer said.
Of all his accomplishments, Connaughton took the greatest pride in mentoring generations of graduate students and teaching assistants, according to his obituary.
“He valued the opportunity to guide them not only in economics, but also in life, and he followed their professional and personal growth with genuine care and interest,” the obituary stated.
John Connaughton and the NC Economic Forecast
Connaughton served as director of the university’s North Carolina Economic Forecast. He transformed it from simple news releases into a major quarterly live event in 2021, according to UNC Charlotte.
His work also laid the foundation for UNC Charlotte’s North Carolina Economic Impact Center, which launched in May. It provides timely data on issues shaping the state and the region’s economy, workforce and communities.
The center will continue hosting the economic forecast events, and the September presentation will be dedicated to Connaughton’s memory.
Connaughton’s knowledge of economics was sought after by national, state and local media outlets, especially during turbulent times such as the global pandemic.
He also wrote or co-authored articles for more than 30 scholarly journals and 50 other publications. His research on the Superconducting Super Collider is preserved in the Library of Congress.
Contributing to Charlotte, the Hornets and the Panthers
In addition to his academic work, Connaughton contributed to major civic and regional efforts that boosted Charlotte, including work on the NBA bid for the original Charlotte Hornets and the NFL bid for the Carolina Panthers, according to his obituary.
Among his leadership roles, Connaughton served as president of the N.C. chapter of the National Association of Business Economics in 1993 and of the Southern Regional Science Association from 2009 to 2010.
He was honored as a Distinguished Fellow by the same organization for his scholarly contributions to the field of regional science, according to his obituary.
John Connaughton and a life of service
Connaughton was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, on Oct. 9, 1947.
He served in the Air Force from November 1966 to August 1970, reaching the rank of sergeant. During that time, he worked as an instrument training instructor, drawing on both his technical expertise and his ability to teach and lead,” according to his obituary.
After leaving the military, Connaughton continued his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston State College in 1974 and a master’s in economics from Northeastern University in 1976. He later completed a Ph.D. in economics at Northeastern in 1981.
Connaughton is survived by his wife of 57 years, Margaret Carol Cobb; his son, John Connaughton, and daughter-in-law, Susan Connaughton; as well as his grandson, Dominic Connaughton, all of Chapel Hill, according to his obituary.
A graveside service for Connaughton was held Tuesday, June 30, at Salisbury National Cemetery.
“He was a very gregarious person, a very warm person to talk to,” Buttimer said. “We’re missing him already, and he’ll live on in people’s hearts for a long time.”
