It is my pleasure to announce Melissa Moore as the new Executive Director of INFORMS.
Melissa joins us from St. Joseph, Michigan where, since 2009, she has been running a successful consulting business. Previous to that, Melissa spent twelve years as Executive Vice President (CEO) & Foundation Officer at ASABE (American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineers), where she drove strategic leadership and global outreach, nearly tripling the number of new members while maintaining high retention rates. Prior to ASABE, Melissa was the Executive Director of AACE International (the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering), where she also realized increased income generation through publications as well as significant membership growth. We are excited by the wealth of experience and enthusiasm Melissa brings to INFORMS.
The search committee consisting of Susan Albin, Terry Cryan, Terry Harrison, Stefan Karisch, Jack Levis, Anne Robinson, Steve Robinson and myself, were honored to be part of this efficient, effective, and enlightening process.
JDG Associates, the recruiting agency, began by interviewing staff and volunteers, using the results to build a candidate profile. They spent the months that followed screening viable candidates (over 250), the short list of which were reviewed and vetted with the search committee. This resulted in inviting six strong candidates for face-to-face interviews on Feb. 10th in Baltimore. The committee conducted 90-minute in-depth formal interviews with each candidate, leveraging a set of pre-determined structured questions to ensure consistency, and a balanced focus on staff, strategy, and analytics. Four candidates were asked to return the following day for round-two interviews. Feb 11th was less formal – a chance to get to know the candidates better, evaluate for cultural fit, and address any gaps or issues that were previously identified. At the end, the committee was unanimous in its decision, and felt that the overall process was comprehensive and complete.
Many thanks to the search committee for two very long fascinating days of diligent work, all while keeping good spirit and having fun. I would like to thank the INFORMS staff and the Board for their support and collaboration during the search process.
I would also like to thank JDG Associates for their professional and productive search as well as their guidance throughout the entire process.
Last but not least, I would like to extend a very special thank you to Terry Cryan for enthusiastically stepping in to carry the load in such a crucial time for INFORMS. Moreover, Terry went above and beyond by enhancing the productivity and collaborative spirit in the whole INFORMS organization. We are all grateful for her contribution.
As INFORMS moves into its next chapter, we have many exciting times ahead. I would ask for your continued support and enthusiasm as Melissa transitions into her new role. Her first day will be April 4th. Please join me in officially welcoming Melissa to INFORMS!
Rina Schneur
President