Norman Zada
Norman Zada | |
|---|---|
| Born | Norman Askar Zadeh |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, adjunct professor, mathematician |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Known for | Founder of Perfect 10 magazine, United States Investing Competition |
| Notable work | Hold'em Poker Super Strategy (2020), Winning Poker Systems (1974) |
Norman Zada (originally named Norman Askar Zadeh) is an entrepreneur and former adjunct professor specializing in mathematics. He is the founder of the adult publication Perfect 10, which showcases women who have not undergone cosmetic surgery, and he oversees the United States Investing Competition. Zada is also recognized as the son of Lotfi Zadeh, the pioneer behind fuzzy logic.
Education and professional beginnings
Holding a PhD in Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley, Zada has experience working at IBM. His academic career includes adjunct mathematics teaching roles at Stanford University, Columbia University, UCLA, and University of California, Irvine. He has contributed to applied mathematics literature, authoring works such as Hold'em Poker Super Strategy (2020) and Winning Poker Systems (1974).
Following his tenure in academia, Zada achieved success in backgammon tournaments and sports handicapping before transitioning into money management. During the 1980s, he initiated financial contests like the United States Investing Championship. In 1996, he challenged anyone to disprove his assertion—backed by a $400,000 offer—that it is mathematically unfeasible to balance the United States federal budget over several years without a significant trade surplus.
Perfect 10 magazine
The inception of Perfect 10 was inspired by a friend’s rejection from Playboy for not meeting their visual standards. Since its debut in 1996, Zada estimates that the magazine has incurred losses nearing $46 million, which have reportedly been mitigated through deductions against earnings from money market investments.
The publication was involved in the lawsuit Perfect 10 v. Google, Inc., accusing Google of contributory copyright infringement due to displaying thumbnail images sourced from unauthorized third-party websites. Additional legal actions included a confidential settlement with adult verification provider Cybernet Ventures, as well as lawsuits against Visa and MasterCard for allegedly benefiting from fees tied to unauthorized third-party payment services. The company also pursued litigation against Giganews, Inc.
Zada reportedly allocates only 40 to 50 hours per year to content creation but invests considerable time in legal battles, leading some observers to characterize Perfect 10 as a copyright troll. By 2015, the company had filed between 20 and 30 lawsuits.
Personal background
Zada is the son of computer scientist Lotfi A. Zadeh, known for introducing fuzzy logic.
He formerly owned a residence in Beverly Park, which was sold in 2010 for $16.5 million.
In connection with the United States Investing Championship, Zada has used the title "Dr. Norman Zadeh," as indicated in a 2018 press release.