As an aide to previous treasury secretaries, then as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, he earned a reputation for rapid analysis and decisive responses.
As an official in President George Bush's Office of Management and Budget, and previously as head of Harvard University's Centre for Risk Analysis, he has built a reputation for evidence-based policymaking.
He had a cast-iron reputation for understanding the financial markets, but his analysis would sometimes bring him into conflict with chancellors of the exchequer.
The absolute strength of these numbers, and their consistency over time, contribute to a corporate reputation that has yet to show any impact due to the Arkansas spill and, based on proven predictive analysis, will not likely do so in the future.