Watts Wacker, Resident Futurist

Watts Wacker joined SRI International in 1995. At SRI. He choreographs the Scenario Planning activities. Scenario Planning is a provocative technique, invented by SRI, for methodologically studying the future via probing social, economic, political and technological change.

Previously, Mr. Wacker spent 10 years at Yankelovich Partners. While there, he directed Yankelovich's preeminent trends prediction service, the Yankelovich MONITOR and was responsible for its global expansion. He is an internationally recognized speaker on the subject of the future consumer agenda.

Mr. Wacker is a frequent contributor to network news organizations. He is the pollster and political commentator for Fox Broadcasting's news division. He is a regular contributor and essayist to the Nightly Business Report on Public Broadcasting. He has also frequently discussed emerging trends on Good Morning America. He is often quoted iin such daily newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today, and in periodicals such as Business Week, Fortune, New York Magazine and Cosmopolitan. He has just published "The 500 Year Delta: What Happens After What Comes Next" for HarperCollins and is currently working on his next book.

His consulting practice specializes in creative business decision making, innovation and strategic planning.

Mr. Wacker's previous experience in business includes three years with Kenner Toy Company, where he rose to become Vice President of Marketing. Prior to Kenner, Mr. Wacker served as New Products Consultant for an internal Phillip Morris think tank in Ventura, California and spent two years at Schering Plough in various new product and new venture management positions.

He was a research fellow at the Institute for Constructive Capitalism. In addition, he owned and operated two radio stations in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Born in Detroit, Mr. Wacker received a Backelor's Degree in cultural history and psychology from Tulane University and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas in Austin.

Watts Wacker is married, with two children, and currently resides in Westport, Connecticut.