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For Ken Jensen, the deal's the thing and how.
As a veteran of managing an extraordinary 122 acquisitions on behalf of financial data processor Fiserv Inc., Brookfield, Jensen can almost smell a good opportunity.
As Fiserv's executive vice president, chief financial officer, treasurer and director, Jensen, 59, handled every company acquisition since Fiserv formed in 1984. But the unassuming executive quickly points out the final decision usually isn't his.
"The Fiserv group president who'll oversee the acquired company has to be comfortable with the target company's fit into his operations; otherwise, we'll walk away from the deal," said Jensen.
The process worked well for acquisitionhungry Fiserv, helping the company grow into a $2.3 billion operation at year-end 2002. But Jensen is too modest in measuring his own influence, said Les Muma, Fiserv's chief executive officer.
"If I had to rank in order what drives a successful Fiserv acquisition, Ken Jensen would head the list," said Muma. "Dealmaking lights his fire."
Jensen's education and background helped cultivate his acquisitive nature. The Northbrook, Ill., native graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1965. He attended the University of Chicago, earning a master's-degree in business administration in 1967 and a doctorate in accounting, economics and finance in 1974.
In 1968, while at the University of Chicago, Jensen helped found Catallactics Corp., a Chicago financial services processing firm for...