Dr. Thomas J. Weinandy is a Senior Research Economist at Upside, a digital marketplace that helps grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores, and gas stations drive measurable, incremental profit through targeted cash-back promotions. He specializes in consumer behavior, industry insights, and macroeconomic trends, leveraging big data analytics to help brick-and-mortar retailers optimize promotions, adapt to economic shifts, and build long-term customer loyalty. His investigations on digital technology, cross-shopping behaviors, and evolving consumer spending habits have been widely recognized, including a feature on The Today Show.

Dr. Weinandy holds an M.B.A., a Ph.D. in Applied Economics, and has published research in the Journal of Marketing Analytics, United Nations Chronicle, and Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade. A frequent speaker at industry and retail conferences, he also co-authored Artificial Intelligence with Microsoft Power BI (O’Reilly). His work provides food retailers and suppliers with actionable economic insights to navigate pricing challenges, shifting consumer preferences, and digital disruption.