Leading with Purpose: A Conversation with the 2026 INFORMS President

When the incoming INFORMS president reflects on what excites him most about stepping into the role, he doesn’t start with strategy, budgets or the sweeping changes reshaping the fields of analytics, operations research (O.R.) and artificial intelligence (AI) (all of which are important). He starts with people.

After three years on the INFORMS Executive Committee – first as secretary and then as president-elect – Mark Lewis has gained a close-up view of what he considers the organization’s greatest strength: a deeply committed staff and an equally dedicated volunteer community. “None of us are paid to do this work,” he says. “We do it because we believe in INFORMS.” That shared sense of purpose, he believes, is what enables the organization to tackle both its internal challenges and the rapid evolution of the broader scientific and technological landscape.

INFORMS will be entering 2026 on solid financial footing following the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic-era deficit. Lewis is candid about the strategic choice the organization made: Instead of gambling on short-term, high-risk revenue generators, INFORMS invested in a long-term, sustainable solution through its partnership with EBSCO. The agreement expands the global reach of INFORMS journals while also strengthening financial stability – two outcomes he sees as tightly intertwined. The long-term view, he notes, is what ensures that INFORMS remains positioned to serve members for decades to come.

But financial recovery is only one part of his vision. Much of Lewis’ career – both within INFORMS and across academia and industry – has been defined by building community and expanding access, particularly for underrepresented groups. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Minority Issues Forum (MIF), which he co-founded with four early-career colleagues. Their goal was simple but urgent: to create a supportive space for minority scholars and practitioners in a field in which many felt isolated. MIF has since grown into a vibrant, multigenerational community that continues to influence the culture and leadership pipeline of INFORMS. “It absolutely helped my career,” Lewis reflects. “Having that support as a new faculty member made an enormous difference.”

That experience shapes his approach to leadership today. Increasing diversity within INFORMS committees and volunteer roles is a priority, and he sees enormous potential in modernizing the new INFORMS Volunteer Management System – transforming it from a simple list into a tool that systematically surfaces emerging talent. This, he believes, is how INFORMS broadens participation and ensures that new voices contribute to its future.

Another theme that energizes Lewis is bridging the long-standing divide between academics and practitioners. His recent sabbatical as an Amazon Scholar illuminated the gap in a new way: Even researchers who consider themselves highly applied can remain distant from the operational realities industry faces. He sees two paths forward – creating more programs that immerse academics in industry settings and encouraging more faculty to engage directly with the INFORMS Analytics+ Conference. With federal research funding entering a period of greater uncertainty, the incentive for collaboration has never been stronger.

As AI and machine learning reshape global industries, Lewis is clear about the unique value INFORMS brings to the conversation. AI excels at rapid data processing, but O.R. provides the decision-making frameworks required to act responsibly on that information. From supply chains and healthcare to logistics and public policy, INFORMS members sit at the intersection of computation, optimization and societal impact. That, he says, is what “Smarter Decisions for a Better World” truly means.

For Lewis, leading INFORMS is not simply an administrative role – it is the next chapter in a career built on community, mentorship and a belief in the transformative power of O.R. The following Q&A offers an in-depth look at his vision for the year ahead.

Congratulations again on your election! Coming into your presidential year, what do you see as INFORMS’ greatest strengths?

Thank you, and I’m really excited to be here. I’ve served on the Executive Committee for about four years – first as secretary (three years), then as president-elect – and I’ve had the privilege of working closely with our incredible staff. I always knew they were strong, but I didn’t fully grasp just how dedicated they are to INFORMS’ mission until I saw it up close. Our volunteers are another tremendous strength. None of us are paid to do this work; we do it because we believe deeply in INFORMS and in advancing the impact of our field. That passion is powerful.

Your predecessors have discussed the financial deficit created during the pandemic years. How will INFORMS continue its financial recovery and growth during your presidency?

First, we’re already on the right path out of the deficit. There are essentially two ways to accelerate this: You can take a big financial bet that pays off quickly, or you can build a long-term revenue stream that grows steadily. INFORMS chose the second – our EBSCO agreement for journal aggregation and dissemination. This partnership not only provides direct revenue but, more importantly, expands global access to our journals, which increases reach and long-term value. That partnership has now officially begun, and I’m optimistic about the impact.

You’ve held a long list of volunteer roles and co-founded the INFORMS Minority Issues Forum (MIF). Tell us about starting that community and serving as its president more than once.

This year is actually our 25th anniversary, which is incredible. Five of us co-founded MIF: Bill Christian, Illya Hicks, Maria Mayorga, Julie Ivy and myself. We were all early in our careers, and the idea grew out of a conversation I had with former INFORMS President John Birge.

Our goal was to create a supportive, inclusive space for people to gather, share experiences, and address issues unique to minority faculty and practitioners. Over 25 years, the community has flourished far beyond the original group – with tremendous support from members of all backgrounds. And yes, it absolutely helped my career. As a brand-new faculty member, having a community that understood and supported me made an enormous difference.

One of your goals in your candidate statement was supporting minority and underrepresented groups. What concrete initiatives do you hope to launch or continue?

As secretary and president-elect, I worked to encourage broader representation on committees. One step was asking committee chairs to document how they expanded access and opportunities when forming their groups. I’m also excited about the Volunteer Management System. I’d love to see it become a true talent-matching tool – something that helps us identify members who haven’t historically been invited into volunteer roles, whether they’re women, veterans, Pride members, in a minority group or anyone simply less visible. It would expand opportunities for everyone – new voices, new perspectives and new volunteers.

You also mentioned the divide between academia and practice. How do you envision strengthening collaboration between those groups

Last year, while on sabbatical, I served as an Amazon Scholar. That experience sharpened my understanding of the gap: Even researchers who see themselves as “applied” may still be a step removed from real implementation challenges. One solution is more programs like the Amazon Scholar model – bringing academics directly into industry environments.

The changing federal landscape will naturally push more academics toward industry engagement. But I also believe our evaluation metrics in academia can evolve.
Impact shouldn’t be measured only by publications. If a faculty member helps a company save millions of dollars or remain competitive in a way that benefits society, that’s real impact. The Franz Edelman Competition is a great example. I attended the competition for the first time last year and was blown away. Those teams are absolute stars, and their work has extraordinary societal value.

You’ve also spoken about strengthening the INFORMS community. What does “sense of community” mean to you, and how can INFORMS reach less-connected members

Community includes bridging the academic-practitioner divide, but also expanding globally. We have tremendous opportunities in . INFORMS may be incorporated in the U.S., but it’s truly a global organization.

As for reaching less-connected members, we now have instant communication tools that didn’t exist when INFORMS was founded. We’re not leveraging them as effectively as we could. The harder part is ensuring we have people dedicated to this work – and that the whole organization recognizes its importance – but it’s absolutely doable.

With AI and machine learning transforming nearly every field, how does INFORMS stay relevant in such a fast-moving landscape?

AI and O.R. are naturally connected, but computer science often dominates the conversation. O.R. brings something broader, especially around decision-making.
Take supply chains: AI enables rapid data processing, but O.R. provides the optimization and decision frameworks needed to act on that data. The same applies in healthcare, drug development, logistics and more. There’s still enormous opportunity for O.R. to shape smarter, more responsible applications of AI.

INFORMS’ tagline is “Smarter Decisions for a Better World.” How does that resonate with you?

I think of it in two parts. “Smarter decisions” means being data-informed and applying optimization – moving beyond analysis to action. “For a better world” reflects the incredible breadth of O.R. applications. Whether it’s Amazon, public policy or a food bank, we have the tools to meaningfully improve people’s lives. That’s what drew me to the field in the first place.

What originally compelled you to join INFORMS?

I believe I attended my first conference around 1996 while working on my Ph.D. My advisors encouraged it, and I quickly realized I’d found my people.
My background was in mathematics and political science, so discovering O.R. felt like discovering the field where my skills and interests finally clicked. The problems are often easy to describe but hard to solve – the perfect combination. And even before MIF, I felt welcomed and supported.

Tell us more about your path and the mentors who shaped you.

I’ve been fortunate to have a long list of mentors, starting with the math faculty at my undergraduate institution, who created courses just so I could keep learning.
At Bell Labs, people like Martin Reiman, Bill Massey and Ward Whitt influenced my thesis direction. At Georgia Tech, my advisors Hayriye Ayhan and Bob Foley continued that support, as well as my postdoc advisor Martin Puterman. Then there are countless INFORMS colleagues – some examples include John Birge, Brenda Dietrich, Candi Yano, Rhonda Righter and Shane Henderson – who have checked in on me and guided me over the years, even when we weren’t working together directly. And, of course, my parents and family are my deepest inspiration.

What lessons from your mentors have stayed with you?

From my parents: always strive a little higher. If you earn a B, aim for an A next time. That mindset shaped my research career – solve a problem, then push further.
From my wife and children: humility. No matter how high you climb, to them you’re just the person walking around the house in Crocs. It’s grounding in the best way.

With such roles as professor, former associate dean, researcher, father and now INFORMS president, how do you stay grounded?

I like to work out in the mornings – that helps center me. But more than anything, I often think: What would my father do? What would my mother want me to do? That keeps me aligned with my values, no matter how full life gets.

Watch the full video interview on the INFORMS YouTube channel!