What's Your StORy?

What prompted you to enter this field? Why?
I entered operations research because it was a natural outlet for my initial work on neural network investigation into admission policy, and developing measures and assessment methodologies for candidate military proposals. I already had an MS in Industrial Engineering, so O.R. was already in my blood.

How do you define "analytics"?
Analytics is the use of mathematical models to improve decision making. This would include descriptive to predictive to prescriptive methods. I include decision analysis, discrete event simulation, Bayesian models, optimization, data visualization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Tell us something you've recently learned.
I recently learned that on January 31 [this Wednesday!], we will experience a Blue Moon, a Supermoon, and a lunar eclipse – not bad for one night – and it's my wife's birthday.

What are you most excited about as chair of the 2018 INFORMS Business Analytics Conference?
I am most excited about being part of an event that brings such talented and passionate people together to learn and discuss a field that is exploding in its impact, understanding, and use around the world…..and we have a chance of being at the top of this field! The Keynote speakers and the Invited Tracks speakers are such experienced analysts and leaders who have done excellent work and are willing to share it with all of us.

Tell us about your experience as an Edelman Laureate and how it has affected your career.
As an owner of a small consulting business, after the Edelman Award we immediately started speaking to new organizations/potential clients at a different level. They seemed more open to our ideas and thoughts. After intently studying and watching the other finalists, our team has a broader idea of how we can help, where we can help, and a belief that we CAN help. We were recently invited to talk to the Gates Foundation about agriculture efficiency – a meeting that happened almost entirely because of our work with Syngenta and the Edelman competition.

What INFORMS member benefit do you find the most useful?
Attendance at the conferences is my biggest benefit from INFORMS membership. My personal and professional networks are richer and work better because of these conferences. I especially like the networking built into the Analytics conference every April. I have found new vendors, new hires, new partnerships, and certainly, I have found solutions to some of my problems. In addition, I get to see my old friends.

If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be?
I would work on the issue of improving patient-doctor decision making. We already know that Shared Decision Making (SDM) improves patient outcomes and enhances patient experience, but we need to figure out how to make this happen to scale so that it is used in main stream healthcare settings. KROMITE is underwriting the SDM summit taking place February 5-7 in Mohonk Preserve, New York. 

Tell us something that not many people know about you.
TWO things: My specialty in the Army was Target Acquisition for Field Artillery, and, I speak Greek.

How do you relax?
I meditate or jump in the hot tub. They both work very well.