which challenged the systems cultures." From 1932-1933, two major events occurred in Soviet society: first, a massive and destructive famine, followed by the commencement of the Great Purge. In 1933 there was also a thawing of relations between the USA and the Soviet Union, which led to the re-opening of the US embassy in Moscow under Ambassador William Bullit. With the reestablishment of the American Embassy in Moscow, Ansoff, Sr., was able to get a clerical job and apply for restoration of his American citizenship. The Ansoffs left Russia through Leningrad in September 1936 on a small freighter, which accommodated a dozen passengers. The ship took two weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean, finally docking in New York. A Russian Orthodox priest took Igor, who was then 17 years old, to the Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan, which was one of two premier high schools in New York City. With the aid of the priest, Igor's grades were translated into American equivalents which made it possible for him to graduate after only one year. In 1937, Igor graduated with the highest honors at the end of the year, which guaranteed him a four-year scholarship with all expenses paid in the New York State University system. He was also offered a scholarship at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, one of the best and most expensive engineering schools in the country. The scholarship was for one year and its continuation was contingent on performing in the upper 10% of his class. Contrary to his parents' advice, who were still financially struggling, he went to Stevens. Five years after arriving in New York, Igor graduated at the top of his class from Stevens Institute of Technology. He had also reached the conclusion that he did not want to practice engineering. Career Seeking a broader perspective, he received a Master's degree in Modern Physics. World War II intervened, and in 1946 he went to Brown University to get a Doctoral degree in Applied Mathematics. His formal education was completed in 1948 when he was 30 years old. He was married the day after defending his dissertation to his wife Skip, and then traveled to Santa Monica, California, where he joined UCLA in the Senior Executive Program. During World War II, he was a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve, and served as a Liaison with the Russian Navy and