Acknowledgements
This thesis could not have been completed without the assistance and input from
numerous individuals. Thank you to Dr. John Rouse, my Thesis Chair and mentor; and
Thesis Panelists Dr. Gary Crawley and Dr. Daniel Reagan, for their assistance, support, and
feedback. A special thanks to my wife, Kristina Walling, and my father, Dale L. Walling, for
their ongoing love, support, and for pushing me to be the best in all of my endeavors.
May, 2009