Prof. Aleksy Wakar was an outstanding graduate and professor of the Warsaw School of Economics. He began his studies at SGH at the age of almost 30, following his tempestuous experiences during the Russian Revolution and the Civil War of 1917-1921. Several years of research work after graduation enabled him to write three significant books that eventually resulted in his promotion to professor. After World War II, Wakar excelled in organizational work. As rector and pro-rector of the school, he was in charge of the curriculum and the selection of lecturers. After a several-year hiatus (1950-1955) when he was imprisoned and detained in Soviet camps, Wakar started another stage of his research work at SGH, then renamed the Main School of Planning and Statistics (SGPiS). Together with his team, he developed an innovative theory of a centrally planned economy and trained a large group of economists who formed what was referred to as the “Wakar school.” He was a true master in developing and managing research teams.