Emeritus Professor Tom Trulove Leaves a Legacy

Tom Trulove, PhD, emeritus faculty in the Economics Department, passed away on Dec. 2, 2024.  Trulove came to EWU in 1969 and retired in 2013 after 44 years of service.  

The following column, honoring Professor Trulove, was written by Germán M. Izón, PhD, professor and chair, Department of Economics:

The Economics Department at Eastern Washington University is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Emeritus Professor Tom Trulove. A lifelong educator and a multiple-term Cheney mayor who profoundly impacted students, colleagues, and the community, Dr. Trulove dedicated his life to fostering the growth and success of the university and the region. He was 81.

During his tenure in the Economics Department, the scholarly and intellectual contributions of Professor Trulove were many and diverse. He began his scholarly activities with a study of the economic aspects of efforts to terminate the Klamath and Modoc Indian Reservation in Southern Oregon. Findings from this project were presented at international conferences such as American Economics Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and published in peer reviewed books dealing with policy sciences and Federal Indian law.

Over time, Professor Trulove shifted his research to the relationship of the public infrastructure with local, regional and state economic development, both with regard to adequacy and maintenance of the existing infrastructure as well as to present and future needs and financing. Later he investigated the adequacy and configuration of the northwest electricity delivery system.

Because of his research activities, as well as his public service, Professor Trulove was appointed by the Washington State Governor to the Northwest Power Planning Council. He later became an active consultant to private businesses and local and state governments on matters dealing with public power needs, environmental regulations, and projects involving electricity generation and delivery systems. He was actively involved in an extended public debate about the form and restructuring of the Northwest electricity industry and advised cities, legislative committees and regulatory commissions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

Professor Trulove undertook a number of research projects including the economic impact of Eastern Washington University, the crisis in Washington municipal finance, the impact of the aluminum industry in Eastern Washington, conversion of the local waste-to-energy plant to electricity generation and the economics of regional solid waste collection and disposal.

The service contributions of Professor Trulove were also many and diverse. He served multiple terms as the Department of Economics chair. His research interests in regional infrastructure needs, subsequent election as mayor of Cheney and later appointment to the Northwest Power Planning Council naturally lad to his involvement in a large number of other university, local, regional and state committees, councils, boards and public interest organizations. These include the Eastern Washington Health Systems Agency, Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest, International Energy Conference, Cheney Care Center, Kalispel Tribal Gaming Board, Washington Sate Community Economic Revitalization Board and Association of Washington Cities. In many instances, Professor Trulove was elected to a leadership position, serving as a member or chair of a board of directors, on a steering committee or leading a delegation.

For all his extensive and significant teaching, scholarly, and service contributions to not only his academic department, his college and the university, but also to the citizens of the region and the northwest, Eastern Washington University recognized Professor Trulove by awarding him both its President’s Medal and Trustees’ Medal.

We are going to deeply miss him.

**Read more about Trulove’s contributions in this story in the Cheney Free Press.