Alkiviadis Vazacopoulos (avazacop)

Alkiviadis Vazacopoulos

Teaching Associate Professor

School of Business

Education

  • PhD (1994) Carnegie Mellon University (Industrial Administration)
  • MS (1990) Carnegie Mellon University (Operations Research)
  • MS (1988) Florida International University (Management Information Systems)
  • BA (1986) University of Piraeus (Business Adminstration)

Research

Mathematical Programming
Supply Chain Analytics
Machine Learning and Optimization

General Information

Alkis Vazacopoulos is an expert in the fields of Business Analytics and Optimization, with a profound commitment to teaching and sharing his wealth of knowledge. During his tenure from January 2008 to January 2011, he served as Vice President at FICO (NYSE: FICO) Research, where his contributions extended beyond corporate leadership to include mentorship and education within the organization.
Prior to his role at FICO, Dr. Vazacopoulos held the esteemed position of President at Dash Optimization, Inc., where he not only spearheaded the company's strategic vision but also worked in tandem with end-users, consulting firms, and OEMs/ISVs to create innovative optimization solutions. His approach went beyond conventional problem-solving; it involved nurturing the talents of others and fostering a culture of analytical excellence.

In addition to his corporate endeavors, Dr. Vazacopoulos is recognized as an influential figure in academia and industry. He frequently engages in consulting work with Fortune 500 companies, specializing in diverse areas such as finance, marketing optimization, data mining, supply chain management, retail optimization, procurement, and decision analytics. This involvement serves as a bridge between theory and practice, enriching both realms with practical insights.

Dr. Vazacopoulos's impact extends beyond consulting and corporate leadership. He is a true pioneer in the application of Parallel Mixed Integer Programming techniques for solving Large-Scale Optimization problems across various verticals, with a notable focus on the Banking and Retail industries. His innovative approach has not only revolutionized problem-solving but has also inspired countless professionals to explore the frontiers of analytics.

Furthermore, Dr. Vazacopoulos's scholarly achievements are impressive. He holds an Erdos3 number, indicative of his esteemed collaboration with other leading minds in the field. His co-authorship of four major publications with Dr. Egon Balas demonstrates his commitment to advancing the boundaries of knowledge in analytics and optimization. Notably, his dissertation paper, titled "Guided Local Search for Jobshop Scheduling," has garnered more than 500 citations, a testament to its enduring relevance in the field.

Between 1988 and 1992, Dr. Vazacopoulos held the prestigious position of William Larimer King Fellow at GSIA, Carnegie Mellon University.

In summary, Alkis Vazacopoulos is a luminary in the world of Operations Research and Analytics, whose impact transcends traditional boundaries. His dedication to teaching, mentorship, and pushing the analytical envelope makes him a transformative figure in both academia and industry.

Experience

2012 – Present: CEO/Founder Industrial Algorithms.
2013 - 2016: Adjunct Faculty Stevens Institute of Technology.
2005 - 21012: Affiliated Faculty, Center for Applied Optimization, University of Florida, Gainesville Florida.
2011 - 2012: Client Partner, Verisk Analytics/Interthinx/Strategic Analytics 2008 - 2011: Vice President Research, FICO, Co. (Member of the Research Management Team
2004 - 2008, President, President, Dash Optimization, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Institutional Service

  • BIA FACULTY Meetings Member
  • Board of Directors BIA Member
  • School Faculty Meetings Member
  • Hiring committee for new Professor position Member
  • Corporate Event Member
  • BIA FACULTY Meetings Member
  • School Faculty Meetings Member
  • Board Of Directors BIA Member
  • BIA FACULTY Meetings Member
  • School Faculty Meetings Member
  • Board Of Directors BIA Member
  • Corporate Event Committee Member
  • Corporate Event Committee Member
  • BIA Faculty meetings Member
  • Faculty Meeting Member
  • SAIL Comitte Member
  • Corporate Event Committee Spring Event Member

Professional Service

  • Optimization Direct Inc. Partner
  • Optimization Direct Inc. Partner

Consulting Service

Fair Isaac
Innovative Scheduling
Southwest
Aspentech
Bank of America
Chase
M&T
Cayuga Partners
Cosytec
HNC
Honeywell
PA Consulting
Printcafe
BASF
Economia Applicada
Frito Lay
ICF
Pacific Gas and Electric
Perseco
Air Products
Praxair
Procter & Gamble
I2 Technologies
Delaware Investments
Edison Mission
Retek
Department of Energy
Kronos
Workbrain
Clorox
Department of Sanitation, New York
Marvin Palmer
Perseco
Frito Lay, PepsiCO
Prograph Management Systems
General Mills
PSR Brazil
Target
Llamasoft
HESI INC. presented seminars: Mathematical Modeling and Project Management

Appointments

August 2016-Today: Teaching Associate Professor, School of Business, Stevens Institute of Technology
April 2014 – today: Partner Optimization Direct, Inc.
April 2011- March 2012: Client Partner, Verisk Analytics/Interthinx/Strategic Analytics.
2008-February 2011: Vice President Research, FICO, Co. (Member of the Research Management Team, 3 members)
2004-2008: President, Dash Optimization, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
1998-2004: Vice President and Founder, Director, Dash Optimization, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ
1999-2000: COO, Founder Axioma Inc.
1982-1983: Personnel Department, Accounting Department, Hellenic Shipyards, Athens, Greece.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Model Development for Machine Learning and Mathematical Programming

Honors and Awards

1999-2000: Research Award, S. J. Silberman College of Business Administration, Fairleigh Dickinson University.
1997: Visiting Scientist in FAW (Research Institute for Applied Knowledge Processing), ULM, Germany.
1988-1991: William Larimer Mellon Fellow, Carnegie Mellon University.
1990: Nomination for The Richard M. and Margaret S. Cyert Family Fellowship, Carnegie Mellon University. (2nd place)
1986-1988: Graduate Fellowship, School of Business, Florida International University.
1986: Fellowship, University of Piraeus, Greece.
1986, Fellowship, National Foundation of Fellowships, Greece.

Professional Societies

  • INFORMS is the leading international association for Operations Research & Analytics professionals. – INFORMS Member

Patents and Inventions

Patent Application Publication, Pub. No.: US 2011/0066481 Al, Vazacopoulos et al. (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 17,2011, RANDOM PARTITIONING AND PARALLEL PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR VERY LARGE SCALE OPTIMIZATION AND METHOD. Inventors: Alkiviadis Vazacopoulos, Gabriel 
Tavares.

Patent Application Publication, VAZACOPOULOS et al., US 20090271337A1, (io) Pub. No.: US 2009/0271337 Al (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 29, 2009, (54) APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INPUT AND OUTPUT TO PROCESS TO BE OPTIMIZED, (76) Inventors: Alkis VAZACOPOULOS, Harrington Park, NJ (US); Horia TIPI, New York, NY (US).

Courses

BIA 600
BIA 674
MGT 657
BIA 678
BIA 610