John Melcher is the Associate Director of the Michigan State University Center for Community and Economic Development. He has over 25 years of experience in conducting research and outreach in community and economic development focusing on issues associated with distressed communities. His work engages faculty researchers and community stakeholders in developing regional knowledge economies, asset-based development, asset-building policy development, and community economic development. He has served on numerous community and university committees and has taught courses on community development, economic development, and research writing in the Urban and Regional Planning Program. He earned a B.S. in Urban and Regional Planning and M.S. in Resource Development from Michigan State University.

John is a principle member of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration University Center for Regional Economic Innovation, a federally funded project focused on transforming regional economic development planning in the 21st Century. He also serves as a member of a targeted regional exporting partnership to advance exporting by small and medium size businesses in Michigan, also funded by the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.