Kent began working at the Center for Business and Economic Research in 1998 as a graduate research assistant. He obtained his master's degree in business administration in 1999 and became a full time Research Associate at the CBER in January, 2000. Kent received a B.A. degree in Management from Marietta College in 1998. At Marietta, Kent was a member of Tau Pi Phi, an economics, management, and accounting honorary; Alpha Lamda Delta, a national honor society; and the Economic Roundtable of the Mid-Ohio Valley from 1995-1998. Kent graduated from Parkersburg South High School in Parkersburg, WV in 1994.

Kent has worked on a wide variety of projects during his tenure at the CBER ranging from data collection and analysis to survey management. He has provided data collection, support and analysis for projects with the WV Department of Transportation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Education Alliance, the Thurmond - Glen Jean and Great New River Railroad and various entities at Marshall University. Past and current survey projects include work for the West Virginia Health Care Association's Employee and Facility Satisfaction Surveys, Marshall University's Residence Services, West Virginia State Parks, American Facilities Management, Inc., several regions of the WV Workforce Investment Board and the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research's Transportation for Health Project.

In addition to his project work, Kent is the liaison between CBER staff and its graduate and undergraduate student assistants.

When he's not working, Kent spends most of his time with his wife Heather (they were married August 11, 2001) in their new home in Proctorville, OH. If he can find the time, Kent relaxes by drawing charcoal studies.