David Sims, Ph.D. and Founder Emeritus

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Leadership/Industry Expertise

David Sims, Ph.D., is a Co-Founder of TRI Corporation. In 2008, he became a consultant to TRI Corporation after handing off his role to Carlo Peratoner, Partner, TRI Corporation. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with B.S. in Electrical Engineering, he joined General Electric’s Advanced Engineering Program (AEP). For three years he traveled the throughout the U.S. working on power systems, aircraft engines, military intelligence systems, mass spectrometers and high energy physics.

Bio

Dr. Sims began his teaching career while attending Pennsylvania State University. As an undergraduate student in Electrical Engineering (EE) at Pennsylvania State University, he was employed as a Physics Lab instructor. Following three years with General Electric’s Advanced Engineering Program (AEP), and with the down-turn in the aerospace industry, in 1970 Dr. Sims was transferred to GE’s Management Development Institute (MDI) in Crotonville, New York as Project Manager-Simulation Exercises. He served as understudy to William Rothschild, the renowned author of books on business strategy. While at MDI, Dr. Sims continued his graduate work in Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Professor Y.H. Ku. He received a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering and Operations Research in 1976.

Dr. Sims was next assigned as a statistical analyst in GE Corporate Consulting Services (CCS). He continued to teach at Crotonville and became a faculty member with the Modern Engineering Course. While at CCS he developed forecasting tools for country specific electrical energy consumption. Dr. Sims applied his dissertation materials to market research methods and consulted in Washington, D.C. on problems of national interest.

Dr. Sims’ consultation and knowledge on defense related led to a new opportunity. In 1977, he was named Manager of Planning and Decision Systems (PDS) in Alexandria, Virginia. PDS provided “think-tank” problem solving for the Under Secretary Air Force-Space Systems. While on assignment, Dr. Sims became Chairman of the Military Operations Research Society–Space Applications and a guest lecturer at the Defense Intelligence School. While working on defense issues, he was invited to lead a team for a significant GE customer and led the development of a reinsurance simulation.

In 1980, Dr. Sims formed Planning & Decision Sciences, Inc. His first customer was GE Crotonville. After 28 years, Dr. Sims is no longer a GE employee. However, he continues to teach globally for GE’s Management Development Institute (MDI).

Dr. Sims co-founded TRI Corporation with Tom Conine in 1990. TRI Corporation’s principal simulation products are based upon Dr. Sims’ contributions to GE Crotonville. He has had the pleasure to share his models and proprietary techniques, knowing that Carlo Peratoner, Partner, TRI Corporation, will continue to enhance their value and add to the 21st century corporate employee development profession.

In 2008, Dr. Sims continues model development and provides services to TRI Corporation. He also incorporated OMEGA-PDS, Inc.

Positions Held

  • Co-Founder and Founder Emeritus, TRI Corporation (current)
  • Founder, Planning & Decision Sciences, Inc.
  • Guest Lecturer, U.S. Defense Intelligence School
  • Chairman of the Military Operations Research Society–Space Applications, Under Secretary Air Force-Space Systems
  • Manager of Planning and Decision Systems (PDS), Under Secretary Air Force-Space Systems, Alexandria, Virginia
  • Faculty Member, Modern Engineering Course, GE Corporate Consulting Services (CCS)
  • Statistical Analyst, GE Corporate Consulting Services (CCS)
  • Project Manager-Simulation Exercises, GE’s Management Development Institute (MDI)
  • Manager, Planning & Decision Systems, GE Aerospace Group

Accomplishments & Awards

  • Upon graduation from GE’s Advanced Engineering Program, Dr, Sims joined the GE Aerospace Group and developed a method to track ships from satellites.
  • While working in the space field, Dr, Sims developed an expertise in simulation modeling and statistical analysis and highly leveraged these skills in business modeling exercises and programs.
  • In Dr. Sims’ role as a statistical analyst in GE Corporate Consulting Services (CCS), he developed forecasting tools for electrical energy consumption and began consulting in Washington, D.C. on problems of national interest.
  • Dr. Sims provided “think-tank” problem solving for the Under Secretary Air Force-Space Systems.
  • He later became Chairman of the Military Operations Research Society–Space Applications and a guest lecturer at the Defense Intelligence School. There he led the development of a ground-breaking reinsurance simulation.

Education

  • Ph.D., Systems Engineering and Operations Research, University of Pennsylvania
  • Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University

Personal

One gets guidance not by direction but by hindrance, a theme for experiential learning adopted from the teachings of Professor Y.H. Ku.