Robert M. Price (business executive)

Robert M. Price
Born	Template:Birth date
Died	December 31, 2020(2020-12-31) (aged 90)
Occupation(s)	Computer scientist, corporate executive, educator
Known for	President and CEO of Control Data Corporation (1986–1989)

Robert M. Price (September 26, 1930 – December 31, 2020) was a prominent American computer scientist and corporate leader. After earning his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1952, he began his career as a computer programmer at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and Convair (General Dynamics). He later obtained a Master's degree in mathematics from Georgia Tech in 1958. Price started at Control Data Corporation in 1961 as a mathematician staff specialist and progressed through various positions including software sales, international operations, and senior management, culminating in his role as president and CEO from 1986 to 1989.

In 1985, he established the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs and served as interim chairman and CEO of International Multifoods Corporation (now part of Smuckers) between 1996 and 1997. Following his departure from Control Data, Price dedicated fifteen years to teaching business strategy at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and Pratt School of Engineering. Additionally, he led PSV, Inc., a firm specializing in technology commercialization, corporate strategy, and human resource management.

Career

Price's tenure at Control Data began in 1961 as a mathematician staff specialist. By 1963, he had advanced to director of international operations, then to group vice president of services in 1972, and by 1980 was president and COO. He played a pivotal role in driving Control Data’s global expansion and pivoting the company toward information services and systems integration. Succeeding founder William C. Norris, Price held the positions of chairman and CEO until his retirement in 1990 after nearly thirty years with the corporation.

In 1985, Price led the creation of the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs (NCSE), where he served as chairman for an extended period to foster entrepreneurship within nonprofit organizations. His board memberships included the Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Opera, and Greater Minneapolis United Way. He also contributed support to entities such as the Santa Fe Opera, University of Minnesota’s athletic and veterinary programs, and The Nature Conservancy.

Price held adjunct professorships at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and Pratt School of Engineering. His writings appeared in publications like Harvard Business Review and California Management Review. He also delivered lectures at several prestigious institutions including Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, and Northwestern Kellogg School of Management.

He participated on advisory boards for NYU’s Courant Institute, Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, and Georgia Tech’s College of Arts and Sciences. As a member of the Business Roundtable Education Committee, he provided guidance to New Mexico's Department of Education and contributed to founding the New Mexico Governor's Business Executives for Education.

Selected publications

"Commitment Without Involvement." Harvard Business Review 62 no. 5 (1984): 162-171

"Supercomputers Propel Technology." Vital Speeches of the Day 54 no. 14 (1988): 435-438 (presented at the Congressional Economic Leadership Institute Luncheon, Washington, D.C., February 25, 1988)

"Computers in the '90s." Vital Speeches of the Day 56 no. 17 (1990): 530 (Minnesota Executive Speaker Series, February 13, 1990)

"Executive Forum: Technology and Strategic Advantage." Harvard Business Review (April 1996) case study

"Technology and Strategic Advantage." California Management Review 38 no. 3 (Spring 1996): 38–56.

"Technology and Strategic Advantage." IEEE Engineering Management Review 26 no. 2 (1998): 26–36.

The Eye for Innovation: Recognizing Possibilities and Managing the Creative Enterprise. Yale University Press, 2005

"When the Alligator is About to Bite." Directors & Boards 30 no. 4 (2006): 26–30.

"Infusing Innovation into Corporate Culture." Organizational Dynamics 36 no. 3 (2007): 320–328.

"Sowing the Seeds of Innovation." Leader to Leader Issue 43 (Winter 2007): 7–12.

Building the Control Data Legacy: The Career of Robert M. Price. Edited by Thomas J. Misa. Charles Babbage Institute, Minneapolis, 2012 available online

External links

• Robert M. Price Papers, approximately 1974-2007, Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota.
• Robert M. Price professional addresses (1970-2009) – a digital archive containing more than 450 presentations delivered to CDC board members, financial analysts, industry professionals, civic groups, academic institutions, and CDC staff.