Doug Lawrence Interview, March 11, 2025

Doug Lawrence describes his 20-plus-year long career as a computer program specialist at the O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West. After reminiscing about his time as a computer science graduate student at the University of Montana, Lawrence explains how he found work at the O’Connor Center in the 1990s. Doug Lawrence then discusses his working partnership with Larry Swanson, the Associate Director for Regional Economics and the third director of the O’Connor Center. He details his work on the Regional Economic Assessment Database (READ) and explains how Larry Swanson used it to help local decision makers in Montana and throughout the United States. Doug Lawrence reflects on Larry Swanson’s leadership and outlines his directorship from 2006 until his death in 2019. Doug Lawrence describes other episodes in the Center’s history including the move from the Old Milwaukee Station to the University of Montana campus. Doug Lawrence also explains how he applied his technical knowledge to start his own business, CE4Less.