Dr. Joseph C. Von Nessen is a highly renowned research economist. Specializing in housing economics and residential real estate, Dr. Von Nessen supplies economic and marketing research to clients in both the private and public sector. Earning his Bachelor's degree at Furman University and his Ph.D. in economics at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Von Nessen regularly conducts a wide array of economic impact analyses, survey research, and various other applied research projects on the subject of economic modeling. He speaks regularly to government and business leaders throughout the South and is frequently interviewed on economic topics by various media outlets. He has also done research for many national companies such as Boeing, Michelin, Sonoco, BlueCross BlueShield, and Savannah River National Lab. His prolific work has earned him many grants from a myriad of groups including the U.S Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense, among others.

Dr. Von Nessen in a frequent guest speaker for many national conventions most notably the International Builders Show, the 21st Century Building Expo, and the North American Regional Science Council. Dr. Von Nessen is an active member of the Building Industry Association of South Carolina (BIA of SC) and often works with other members of the BIA, as well as the Association of REALTORS throughout South Carolina. He is also a regular attendee and speaker at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, where he often speaks on the economics of South Carolina and the United States as a whole.