The Launch of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management: A Long and Difficult Gestation, but a Significant Birth

I was honored when Chris Tang requested my recollections about the launch of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (M&SOM) 20+ years ago. Yet I have scant memories of those seven years, although I remember the challenging ones very well. Also, I have no records. So, many thanks to Steve Graves, whose memory and record-keeping are better than mine. Special thanks to Mathew Walls, publications director of INFORMS, who provided copies of INFORMS documents. I quote some below. Regardless, I take full responsibility regarding the “truth” of what follows. In other words, it’s my story, and I'm stickin’ to it.