Tom Gillaspy served as the Minnesota State Demographer for more than 30 years before retiring in 2012. In this position he provided policy makers and the public with accurate information and analysis about emerging and critical issues. He remains immersed in studying and speaking about population change and its implications. Born and raised in Texas, he received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds a masters degree agricultural economics and a PhD in economics, specializing in economic demography, from Pennsylvania State University.