Paul A. Vatter

Lawrence E. Fouraker Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus

Paul Vatter, Gifted Business School Professor, Dies at 90

By JIWON JOUNG, CRIMSON STAFF WRITER3 days ago0

Harvard Business School professor emeritus Paul A. Vatter, remembered by his former colleagues as a gifted teacher to both his students and coworkers over his nearly 40-year career at the Business School, died Jan. 4 after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 90.

Vatter, who taught a managerial economics course that centered on statistical analysis and decision-making while at Harvard, is best remembered for explaining challenging concepts in an understandable and engaging way.

“He was the department’s best teacher and was the only one able to teach our material to executives with any success,” said Business School professor David E. Bell.

After earning a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in statistics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947 and 1954, respectively, Vatter joined Penn’s department of economic and social statistics. Once he arrived Harvard in 1958, he served as an assistant dean of the Business School until 1962, chaired its doctoral program from 1967 to 1970, and directed executive education and corporate relations from 1987 to 1988. He retired in 1995.

Colleagues and students affirmed the impact Vatter made in his administrative and professorial roles. Business administration professor emeritus Steven C. Wheelwright recalled that as a new faculty member, he would sit in on Vatter’s classes to learn his teaching methods.

“Paul was always happy and positive and clearly loved teaching and the work he was doing with faculty and students,” Wheelwright said.

Although Vatter held numerous leadership positions, Bell said that Vatter’s friendliness and generosity led him to consider Vatter a friend despite their 25-year age difference.

“He was always approachable, always had a smile on his face, always willing to have a chat,” Bell said.

Wheelwright echoed the sentiment that Vatter consistently offered assistance to students and faculty regardless of his own workload.

“Paul was always willing to take on additional assignments and go the extra mile whenever it was needed,” Wheelwright said.

Vatter is survived by his daughter, Katherine Foucault of Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, and five grandchildren, according to the Business School website.

—Staff writer Jiwon Joung can be reached at joung@college.harvard.edu.

Cases and Teaching Materials

1. Christenson, Charles, Elon Kohlberg, Arthur Schleifer Jr., Harborne W. Stuart Jr., Paul A. Vatter, and George Wu. "Quality Printing." Harvard Business School Case 896-002, August 1995. View Details
2. Vatter, Paul A. "Weston Manufacturing Co." Harvard Business School Case 111-047, April 1967. (Revised September 1993.) View Details
3. Vatter, Paul A. "Introduction to Decision Analysis." Harvard Business School Background Note 181-046, October 1980. (Revised June 1993.) View Details
4. Vatter, Paul A. "Decision Analysis and the Risk Profile." Harvard Business School Case 191-110, January 1991. (Revised June 1993.) View Details
5. Vatter, Paul A. Exercises on ""What is Fair?"". Harvard Business School Exercise 892-011, February 1992. (Revised May 1993.) View Details
6. Vatter, Paul A. "Marsh & McLennan (A)." Harvard Business School Case 171-303, December 1970. (Revised August 1992.) View Details
7. Vatter, Paul A. "Negotiation Analysis Consultants." Harvard Business School Case 892-014, February 1992. View Details
8. Vatter, Paul A. "Broward - Computerm Arbitration." Harvard Business School Case 892-012, January 1992. View Details
9. Vatter, Paul A. "Chemplan Corp.: Paint-Rite Division." Harvard Business School Case 191-090, November 1990. View Details
10. Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (A)." Harvard Business School Case 684-056, March 1984. View Details
11. Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 684-057, March 1984. View Details
12. Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 684-058, March 1984. View Details
13. Vatter, Paul A. "Doug Heath Negotiations (D)." Harvard Business School Supplement 684-059, March 1984. View Details
14. Vatter, Paul A. "Developing Forecasts with the Aid of Regression Analysis." Harvard Business School Background Note 175-105, November 1974. (Revised November 1977.) View Details
15. Vatter, Paul A. "Assessing Certainty Equivalents by Assessing Preference for Consequences." Harvard Business School Background Note 177-038, September 1976. (Revised June 1977.) View Details
16. Vatter, Paul A., and Steven C. Wheelwright. "Perrin Freres." Harvard Business School Case 175-087, October 1974. (Revised October 1975.) View Details
17. Vatter, Paul A. "Brunswick Corp.: The Snurfer (A)." Harvard Business School Case 113-085, August 1967. (Revised January 1973.) View Details
18. Vatter, Paul A. "Brunswick Corp.: The Snurfer (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 113-086, August 1967. (Revised January 1973.) View Details