Doug Jensen, a 2002 graduate with degrees in journalism and mass communication and statistics, received the Department of Statistics Outstanding Alumni Award on October 23, 2025. The award recognizes alumni who have achieved significant professional accomplishments and demonstrated leadership in their field.
Jensen was raised in a family of Cyclones. As the youngest of four siblings who all attended Iowa State, he began his campus visits at age five. After serving as yearbook editor at Fort Dodge High School, he discovered statistics as a second major with encouragement from his statistics-major sister. That decision launched his career as a leading data and analytics executive.
An accomplished senior data and analytics executive, Jensen has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to chief marketing officers at Fortune 500 companies. A leading expert in marketing mix modeling, he helps companies discover marketing strategies that yield the highest return on investment.
Jensen's career spans more than 35 years across the analytics industry. He spent 15 years at Nielsen (now NielsenIQ) and IRI (now Circana), then 19 years at Avon Products and The Estée Lauder Companies. In July 2025, Jensen joined Ekimetrics, a French-based data science company, in a business development role based in New York City.
Beyond his technical expertise, Jensen has been recognized as an exceptional team builder and mentor to early-career professionals throughout his industry. His career exemplifies how Iowa State's interdisciplinary approach prepares graduates to make significant contributions in data analytics and marketing science, combining statistical expertise with effective storytelling skills from journalism.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) presents awards to outstanding alumni and friends of the College annually. They are celebrated at the LAS Honor and Awards Ceremony, in addition to the Alumni Association Honors and Awards Ceremony.