# Alan Trefler

> Alan Trefler founded Pegasystems in 1983 and remains its CEO. A Dartmouth graduate and co-winner of the 1975 World Open chess tournament, he works on enterprise software that helps organizations revise their processes and decisions. He wrote Build for Change and established the Trefler Foundation with his wife Pam.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Pegasystems
- **Organizations:** Pegasystems, Trefler Foundation, Trefler’s
- **From:** Boston, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in economics and computer science (SEC biography), Dartmouth College, Brookline High School
- **Known for:** Co-winner of the 1975 World Open chess tournament., Founded Pegasystems and led it through its public listing., Holds multiple patents, according to his official biography.

## Career timeline

- **1975** — Tied for first at the World Open with Pal Benko.
- **1977** — Graduated from Dartmouth; later worked at Casher Associates and TMI Systems.
- **1983** — Founded Pegasystems at 27.
- **1996** — Took Pegasystems public.
- **1997** — Formed the Trefler Foundation with Pam, according to the foundation’s history.
- **2009** — Named Software CEO of the Year by the American Business Awards.
- **2014** — Published Build for Change with Wiley.
- **2026** — Continues as Pega’s founder and CEO.

## Achievements

- Co-winner of the 1975 World Open chess tournament.
- Founded Pegasystems and led it through its public listing.
- Holds multiple patents, according to his official biography.
- Recipient of Dartmouth’s John G. Kemeny computing prize.
- Author of Build for Change (2014).

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Pega reported 20% cloud ACV growth and 6% total ACV growth as reported; management acknowledged execution challenges and announced changes.
- **2026-06** — Delivered the PegaWorld keynote on moving from application rigidity to business fluidity.
- **2025-11** — Discussed AI design and reliability on the ITPro Podcast.
- **2025-09** — Discussed leadership with Adam Bryant for The ExCo Group.

## Links

- Website: https://www.pega.com/about/leadership/alan-trefler
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alantrefler/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/AlanTrefler
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alan.trefler

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/alan-trefler
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22