Dennis Barber III

Dennis Barber III is an Associate Professor at the Miller School of Entrepreneurship within the College of Business at East Carolina University. His academic roles include being the Chesnutt-Bond Distinguished Scholar of Entrepreneurship, President-Elect of the national Small Business Institute® (SBI), and Coeditor-in-Chief of the Journal of Small Business Strategy. Dr. Barber founded the Rural Entrepreneurship Special Interest Group at USASBE and co-developed the Rural Entrepreneurship Education Certificate program.

Research Interests: His applied research focuses on

• rural entrepreneurship
• entrepreneurship education & pedagogy
• economic development
• public policy
• entrepreneurial attitudes

His work bridges academic inquiry with practical solutions for family businesses and small enterprises.

Awards & Recognitions:

• Matthew Sonfield Research Award for Best Research Paper (2020)
• SBI Best Practices Award (2020)
• Distinguished Empirical Paper Award (2020)
• 1st Place – 2020 Student Project of the Year
• USASBE Co-Curricular Innovation Award (2020)
• Sigma Nu Tau Honor Society Charter Faculty Member (2019)
• NC Idea Grant (2019)
• Homer L. Saunders Mentor Award (2019)
• Best Empirical Paper Award (2019)
• USASBE Entrepreneurship Teaching & Learning Scholar (2018)
• 1st Place – 2018 Student Project of the Year
• 3rd Place – 2017 Student Project of the Year
• 2016 Showcase Award Winner

Teaching & Certifications: Dr. Barber leads student-led consulting courses and teaches Family Business, Small Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation & Opportunity Assessment. He is a Galliard Institute Certified Family Business Advisor and an Ice House Entrepreneurship Program Certified Facilitator.