People Who Went To Penn: J.D. Power

Meet our newest feature, "People Who Went To Penn." Rather than focus on the well known corporate bigwigs and politicians we count among our alumni, we'll shine the spotlight on lesser known, but kind-of-more-awesome-in-a-way types. For our first installment, meet J.D. Power.

If you've ever watched a car commercial, you'll recognize the "Ranked Best in its Class By J.D. Power and Associates." You know what we're talking about, right?

James D. Power III earned an M.B.A. in Finance in the late 1950s. Before heading to Wharton, Power worked for the Coast Guard as an icebreaker in the Arctic. This icebreaking/Finance experience led Power to start conducting consumer satisfaction research in 1968, leading to the founding of J.D. Power and Associates. And there you have it.