INFORMS Open Forum

  • 1.  A note on my candidacy for President-Elect

    Posted 3 days ago

    With Jonathan Owen's gracious withdrawal, I am now the practitioner candidate for INFORMS President-Elect. I am honored, and I do not take this moment lightly.

    Thank you to the INFORMS Nominating Committee for the confidence they placed in Jonathan and me. Thank you to Jonathan for a decision that puts the practice voice ahead of his own candidacy, and for making the case for a voice we both believe INFORMS needs.

    My candidacy rests on three commitments I made in my position statement. You can read the full statement here: INFORMS President-Elect Candidate: Stefan E. Karisch | ORMS Today

    The first is stewardship of decision-making science. AI is reshaping publication integrity, peer review, funding, and public trust. INFORMS' credibility as the connecting thread matters more, not less. I would work with the Board and editorial leadership to strengthen our advocacy for that credibility.

    The second is a bigger tent that strengthens the core. These are not competing objectives; they are the same objective, seen from two angles. Practitioner engagement strengthens the institutional health that supports our journals, awards, and doctoral pipelines. I would deepen academic-industry collaboration and expand practitioner-relevant offerings.

    The third is the next generation, globally. INFORMS must serve both academic and industry pathways for students. I would expand mentorship, modernize engagement, and build clearer routes from student to established professional. We can expand our global footprint through INFORMS International and Regional Conference pilots.

    These commitments align with and accelerate what is already underway in the INFORMS Strategic Plan. This moment calls for the clarity to know where to invest and the discipline to know where not to spread thin.

    If you have questions or want to discuss any of this, please reach out via LinkedIn or at stefan.e.karisch@gmail.com. I welcome the conversation.

    Voting opens Monday, August 24, via a separate email from INFORMS' election vendor, and runs through Wednesday, September 30.

    I ask for your consideration as you cast your ballot.



    ------------------------------
    Stefan Karisch
    Founder & Principal
    Intrinsic Clarity
    Seattle WA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: A note on my candidacy for President-Elect

    Posted 2 days ago

    Thank you for outlining your views elegantly  – which I believe service the entire INFORMS community and is in the tradition of Peter Norden, past president, who started IJAA to service all of the INFORMS community.  He also keenly observed the practitioner community was at risk of being overwhelmed by the academic community – simply from sheer numbers.

    I believe if Peter was still alive, he would take exception to your early statement: "I am now the practitioner candidate".  You are a candidate for all of INFORMS members who is familiar with all aspects of the organization and has more time in the trenches – to use a Karl Kempf term.  Clearly Sheldon Jacobson brings a rich set of experiences to this office, just a different orientation.  

    Imagine if Peter Norden (who had a long career at IBM) lost the election.  There isn't an IJAA journal and probably no Edelman competition which INFORMS members of all backgrounds point to show the value of Operations Research.  In the "time of AI", where any aspect of computational intelligence is grabbed by the AI juggernaut, INFORMS needs to have a clear message that the heavy lifting is done by Operations Research 



    ------------------------------
    Kenneth Fordyce
    Director - Analytics Without Borders
    retired IBM, retired Arkieva
    Wilmington DE
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: A note on my candidacy for President-Elect

    Posted 2 days ago
    Ken,
    Thank you for this thoughtful note and for the historical context on Peter Norden. Your framing is important, and I appreciate the reminder.
    My candidacy is for INFORMS as a whole. My path from academic research to decades of industry leadership has always been about the exchange between the two, not either one alone. The "practitioner candidate" reference reflected the specific moment of consolidation after Jonathan Owen's withdrawal; the point of my candidacy is much broader than that.
    The AI juggernaut risk you name is at the heart of what INFORMS needs to navigate. Making our field's distinct value visible before it is absorbed without credit is central to that work.
    Grateful for the note. Let's stay in dialogue as the election unfolds.
    Best,
    Stefan


    ------------------------------
    Stefan Karisch
    Founder & Principal
    Intrinsic Clarity
    Seattle WA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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