Graduates of the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota go on to a variety of meaningful careers in Minnesota and around the world. In these roles, insightful applications of economics principles drive advances in small business, guide policy-making that improves quality of life for Minnesotans, and enhance food security around the globe.
Each year, with the Outstanding Alumni Awards, the department recognizes three such graduates who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievement and a dedication to public service. In Ruttan Hall on October 23, we celebrated Doug Huebsch, BS ‘85, Brigid Tuck, MS ‘99, and Keith Fuglie, PhD ‘89.
2026 Award Winners
Doug Huebsch, BS ‘85
Doug Huebsch is CEO of Goose Group, Inc., a Minnesota business that operates destination retail stores, a microbrewery, and a specialty chocolate factory around the state. He previously co-founded New Life Farms and served as managing partner of Perham Capital Co.
A Department of Applied Economics graduate, Huebsch has also spent 12 years as an Otter Tail County Commissioner and has held numerous community and public service leadership roles, including chairing the USDA National Committee on Agricultural Statistics. He currently serves as Chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents and as a trustee of the University of Minnesota Foundation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in applied economics from the University of Minnesota in 1985.
In October 2026, he was recognized with an Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota for his talented application of economics to build cornerstone businesses in rural Minnesota and his devotion to public service.
Brigid Tuck, MS ‘99
After graduating from the Department of Applied Economics, Brigid Tuck took a role as an applied research specialist with University of Minnesota Extension’s Center for Community Vitality. In this role, she helped launch the Economic Impact Analysis program in 2009 and has since led deep research that guides Minnesota communities in making informed economic development decisions.
With more than 20 years of experience in economic impact analysis, Tuck has examined sectors ranging from tourism and manufacturing to childcare and local foods. She earned her master’s degree in applied economics from the University of Minnesota in 1999.
In October 2026, she was recognized with an Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota for her skillful application of economics to help Minnesota communities solve problems and answer questions.
Keith Fuglie, PhD ‘89
Keith Fuglie is a senior economist with the Food Security Leadership Council and an adjunct professor at Texas Tech University. His research examines agricultural productivity and technical change, with a focus on the roles of policy, research and development investment.
Previously, he spent 25 years with USDA’s Economic Research Service and 10 years with the International Potato Center. He has also served as a senior economist with USAID and the White House Council of Economic Advisers. A Minnesota native, Fuglie earned a BA from Concordia College and an MS and PhD in agricultural and applied economics from the University of Minnesota.
In October 2026, he was recognized with an Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota for the decades he has spent dedicated to strengthening food security around the world.
Student lightning talks
In addition to the award ceremony, attendees heard from current students on their experiences with mentorship, internships and research.
Agricultural & food business management (AFBM) student Lee Siewert spoke about his experience being matched with a mentor through the CFANS Mentor Program, an opportunity to create a meaningful connection with an alum to discuss current and future career goals.
Oliver Small, also an AFBM student, shared stories and insight from his manufacturing supply chain internship at a Purina facility in Little Chute, Wisconsin.
Rayea Roberts, an applied economics student and Easter Family Scholarship recipient, talked about a class trip to Greece and how it demonstrated the power of international connections.
PhD candidate Casey McNichols gave a brief presentation on her research, “Agricultural workers’ employment cycles and churn in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program”.
Scholarships, fellowships and other awards
The names of students who were honored this year with scholarships and fellowships were also celebrated, including PhD student Aaron Lorenz for his receipt of the Haswell and Todd Family Fellowship which promotes research with direct relevance to Indigenous communities.
Additional awards earned from department members this year were acknowledged, including Head of Applied Economics Terry Hurley’s recognition as an Agricultural & Applied Economics Association 2026 Fellow, a prestigious honor.
In addition, Regents Professor Paul Glewwe’s recent earning of the Yidan Prize, the world’s highest education accolade, was applauded. The award honors his decades of achievement in removing barriers to quality education in over a dozen countries.