{{Short description|American businessman, author and academic}} {{Infobox person |name=Carl Spetzler |image=Carl Spetzler.jpg |known_for=Research, publications, and expertise in the fields of decision quality and decision theory }} '''Carl Spetzler''' is an American businessman, author, and academic. He is known for his research, publications, and expertise in the fields of decision quality and decision theory.

== Education == Spetzler holds a BS in chemical engineering and an MBA and Ph.D. in economics and business administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sdg.com/people/carl-spetzler/|title=Carl Spetzler, CEO {{!}} Strategic Decisions Group|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref>

== Career == Spetzler’s interest in decision quality began at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) at Stanford University (now known as SRI International), where he worked with decision theory pioneer Ronald A. Howard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.mile.org/an-interview-with-ceo-and-chairman-of-strategic-decisions-group-dr-carl-s-spetzler/|title=An Interview with CEO and Chairman of Strategic Decisions Group Dr. Carl S Spetzler|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref>

While at SRI, Spetzler was instrumental in helping client Merrill Lynch establish their Cash Management Account (CMA) product in 1977. Revolutionary for its time, the CMA was a great success for Merrill Lynch and inspired its competitors to introduce similar products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wealthmanagement.com/practice-management/cma-promise|title=The CMA Promise|website=wealthmanagement.com|access-date=2016-09-14|date=November 2007}}</ref> Author Joe Nocera describes Spetzler’s key role in the development of the CMA in his book ''A Piece of the Action: How the Middle Class Joined the Money Class''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Piece of The Action How The Middle Class Joined The Money Class|last=Nocera|first=Joe|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=1994|isbn=978-0684804354|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/pieceofaction00jose/page/128 128–156]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/pieceofaction00jose/page/128}}</ref>

In 1981, Spetzler and Howard formed Strategic Decisions Group (SDG),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sdg.com/|title=Strategic Decisions Group -|website=Strategic Decisions Group|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref> a management consulting firm focused on using the principles of decision quality to help organizations improve their strategic planning, innovation, and risk management.

Spetzler is the Chairman and CEO of SDG.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sdg.com/people/carl-spetzler/|title=Carl Spetzler, CEO {{!}} Strategic Decisions Group|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref> He also serves as the program director of the Strategic Decision and Risk Management Program at Stanford’s Center for Professional Development.

== Publications == Spetzler is the author of ''[http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9781119176657 Decision Quality: Value Creation from Better Business Decisions]'', written with Hannah Winter and Jennifer Meyer. ''Decision Quality'' explores Spetzler’s decision-making framework, including the six requirements for decision quality, how to apply them, and common pitfalls of decision-making.

=== ''Journal Publications'' === ''The Development of a Corporate Risk Policy for Capital Investment Decisions,'' Carl Spetzler'','' IEEE Transactions on Systems Science and Cybernetics (Volume: 4, Issue: 3 ), Sept. 1968.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Spetzler|first=C. S.|date=1968-09-01|title=The Development of a Corporate Risk Policy for Capital Investment Decisions|journal=IEEE Transactions on Systems Science and Cybernetics|volume=4|issue=3|pages=279–300|doi=10.1109/TSSC.1968.300122|issn=0536-1567}}</ref>

''Probability Coding in Decision Analysis'', Carl S. Spetzler, Carl-Axel S. Staël Von Holstein, (1975), Management Science, 22(3):340-358, retrieved September 1, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.decisionprofessionals.com/articles?name=probability-coding-in-decision-analysis|title=Society of Decision Professionals|website=www.decisionprofessionals.com|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref>

Larry Neal and Carl Spetzler, "[https://hbr.org/2015/05/an-organization-wide-approach-to-good-decision-making An Organization-Wide Approach to Good Decision Making]", Harvard Business Review, May 27, 2015.

== Honors, memberships, and awards ==

=== ''Honors and Awards'' === * SRI International inducted Spetzler into its “Hall of Fame” in 2006 for his work in decision analysis and his influential work with Merrill Lynch.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sri.com/about/alumni/members-alumni-hall-fame|title=SRI Alumni Association: Hall of Fame {{!}} SRI International|website=www.sri.com|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref> * In 2004, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) awarded Spetzler the Frank P. Ramsey Medal<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.informs.org/Recognize-Excellence/Community-Prizes-and-Awards/Decision-Analysis-Society/Frank-P.-Ramsey-Medal|title=Frank P. Ramsey Medal - INFORMS|last=INFORMS|website=www.informs.org|access-date=2016-09-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513203045/https://www.informs.org/Recognize-Excellence/Community-Prizes-and-Awards/Decision-Analysis-Society/Frank-P.-Ramsey-Medal|archive-date=2016-05-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> which honors outstanding contributions to the field of decision analysis. * [http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/?slreturn=1473869846 Treasury & Risk Magazine] named Spetzler to its 2008 list of 100 Most Influential People in Finance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/2008/06/01/2008-100-most-influential-people-in-finance?t=risk-management%22|title=2008 100 Most Influential People in Finance|author=Staff Writer|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref>

=== ''Memberships'' === * [http://www.decisionprofessionals.com/ Society of Decision Professionals] * Board of Trustees Member, Illinois Institute of Technology<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://web.iit.edu/president/board-trustees|title=Board of Trustees {{!}} President {{!}} Illinois Institute of Technology|website=web.iit.edu|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref> * Board Member, Decision Education Foundation<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.decisioneducation.org/def-people|title=Decision Education Foundation|website=Decision Education Foundation|access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref> * Advisory Board, The Good Judgment Project

=== References === {{Reflist|30em}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Spetzler, Carl}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Illinois Institute of Technology alumni Category:American chemical engineers Category:American business writers Category:American businesspeople