Dr. Patrick L. Bajari, a dedicated son and father, distinguished academic economist, visionary leader, and cherished friend, passed away on Monday, April 14, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Pat was born and raised in Minnesota’s farm country, where his family’s success as both farmers and business owners taught him the value of hard work and setting bold goals. He went on to earn both his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the University of Minnesota, laying the foundation for a career that would bridge academia and industry in transformative ways. Guided by brilliance, determination, and a commitment to real-world impact, Pat rose to the forefront of economic thought. His early lessons—rooted in hands-on experience and intellectual curiosity—shaped a lifelong belief: the best discoveries happen where disciplines meet.

Pat held esteemed faculty positions at Harvard, Stanford, Duke, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Washington, where he inspired countless students with his passion for empirical research and his knack for making complex concepts accessible. His academic work, particularly in industrial organization, has left an indelible mark on the field, and several of his students have become leading academics across the globe.

In 2010, Pat transitioned to the tech industry, joining Amazon as its Chief Economist. There, he built and led Amazon’s first team of economists, embedding their insights into the company’s decision-making processes across forecasting, supply chain management, pricing, and more. His leadership extended to overseeing Amazon’s Core AI team, where he spearheaded initiatives that harnessed data and machine learning to drive innovation at scale. The model he created at Amazon—embedding economics into business decision-making—proved so impactful it was adopted by many of today’s leading tech companies. Beyond business success, Pat took greatest pride in the lasting impact of his work: opening career paths for hundreds of economists and helping build a community he felt proud to belong to.

Over the past 2 years, Pat served as Chief Economist and Managing Director for Core AI at Keystone Strategy, where he advanced his interdisciplinary work—applying economics, technology, and business strategy to help the world make smarter decisions with data. Beyond his professional achievements, Pat was a man of warmth, humor, and integrity. He formed deep connections with colleagues and friends, often bonding over shared backgrounds and a mutual appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. His love of fly-fishing was second only to his deep love for his twin daughters, Anja and Sylvi. He always spoke of them with immense pride and love, cherishing every moment spent together.

While Pat’s contributions to economics and technology reshaped both academia and industry, it was his kindness, mentorship, and unwavering friendship that left the deepest mark. He will be sorely missed by the hundreds who knew him not just as a colleague, but as a teacher, mentor, and friend.

Dr. Patrick L. Bajari is survived by his daughters Anja and Sylvi; his parents Ann and Jerry; his siblings Bill, Mary and brother-in-law Chris; his loving aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews; and a vast community of friends, students, colleagues, and admirers who are better for having known him.

Arrangements entrusted to Swanson Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

655 Broadway Avenue South, Cokato, MN 55321.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/patrick-bajari/obituary/

Copy