Remembering Dr. John Connaughton

The Belk College of Business mourns the passing of Dr. John Connaughton, Professor of Financial Economics and the University’s longest-serving faculty member, who died on June 24, 2026.

For more than four decades, Dr. Connaughton led the North Carolina Economic Forecast, providing business leaders and policymakers across the Carolinas with rigorous, data-driven analysis of state and regional economic conditions. His work laid the foundation for the newly established North Carolina Economic Impact Center, which will carry forward his mission of translating complex economic research into actionable insight.

Dr. Connaughton’s contributions to UNC Charlotte and to the broader economic community leave a lasting legacy that will continue to shape the college for years to come.