Robert G. Brown
Robert G. Brown was an American operations researcher who developed exponential smoothing for forecasting inventory demand, presented it in 1956, and published Statistical Forecasting for Inventory Control in 1959.
What they did and why it matters
Brown's exponential smoothing is still one of the most common forecasting methods in inventory planning software. The method weights recent demand more heavily than older demand using a single smoothing constant, so it adapts to change while needing little data or computation. Brown developed it from tracking work for the US Navy and applied it to replenishment. Many reorder point and demand planning tools used by brands and 3PLs still run variations of his method, and Charles Holt extended it to handle trends.