Paul Zane Pilzer (born January 17, 1954) is an American economist,New York Times best-selling author,[1] andsocial entrepreneur. He has written 13 books, the founder of six companies, and has been profiled in more than 100 publications including on the front page ofThe Wall Street Journal.[2][3]
Pilzer's 1991 bookUnlimited Wealth criticized traditional economic theories as being based on scarcity: that the earth contains a fixed, limited supply of resources and the function of economics (i.e.,capitalism,socialism,communism) is to best divide them up.[4] "No wonder," said Pilzer inUnlimited Wealth, "they call economics the 'Dismal Science.'"[5]In contrast, Pilzer offered a new theory called EconomicAlchemy based on abundance: that the earth contains unlimited resources because of human ingenuity continually defining new resources and/or learning how to better obtain and use our existing resources. The central equation of Economic Alchemy is W = P x Tn : Wealth = Physical Resources times Technology, and T (Technology) has an exponential multiplier effect on itself.[4]
Pilzer began developing Economic Alchemy in 1975 as a graduate student at theWharton School of the University of Pennsylvania when he theologically could not accept his professor's views that God had created a world of growing population but limited resources.[4] Over the next 15 years, he developed Economic Alchemy while working atCitibank (1976–1981),[3] and served as an appointed economic advisor inRonald Reagan's Presidential Administration (1983–1988).[6]
Pilzer published his theory of Economic Alchemy inUnlimited Wealth – The Theory and Practice of Economic Alchemy (Crown Publishers, 1990)[4] and inGod Wants You To Be Rich – Theology of Economics (Simon & Schuster, 1995, 1997, 2007).[7][2][3]
Pilzer has also written about employment, U.S. health benefits, wellness and the sharing economy. In 1985, he testified before aUnited States congressional hearing and since then has promoted the idea that employees should have personal and portable health insurance coverage independent of their employment but funded pre-tax by their employer.[8][9] In 1996, he began researching the bifurcation of America based on weight and health. From 1999 to 2014 wrote five books on the economics of obesity, health insurance, preventative medicine, and wellness.
Pilzer has been called the "father ofHealth Savings Accounts".[10][11] In 2003, the front page of theSunday New York Times referred to Pilzer as "the Reagan administration economist turned wellness guru."[6]
Pilzer is currently researching The Sharing Revolution, Consumer Surplus, Gross National Happiness, Universal Basic Income and the impact of the Russian and Chinese economies on the world economy 2023–2033. "While the sharing economy is about using technology to halve the price of what you want to buy," says Pilzer, "the sharing revolution is about doubling the value of what you already own or are about to buy. As explained in Pilzer'sThe New Roaring Twenties 2023-2033 (BenBella Books, 2023)Uber andAirbnb aren't just half the price of the services (taxis and hotels) they displace, to the consumer they are twice as valuable with up to 100% Consumer Surplus."[12]
Pilzer was born inBrooklyn, New York, in 1954 toPolish-Jewish immigrant parents Miriam and Elias Pilzer.[13] He graduatedPaul D. Schreiber High School inPort Washington, New York, in 1971. He married Lisa Dang Pilzer (formerly Lisa Dang) on January 17, 2000, and they have four grown children. Pilzer helped start Temple Har Shalom in Park City in 1995 and functioned as a lay rabbi leading services and officiating at functions until a full-time rabbi was hired in 2002.[14]
Pilzer earned a BA in journalism fromLehigh University in 1974 at age 20 and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1976.[15] He was an adjunct professor atNew York University (1979–2000), where he served as chairman of the Department of Real Estate Finance. He received an honorary doctorate in public service from Parker College (nowParker University) in 2004.[16]
Pilzer served as contributing editor from 1979 to 1995 ofReal Estate Review published by New York University[17] andReal Estate Finance Journal published by Wharton Business School.[18] He is the author of 16 academic articles. He has served as a lecturer atMoscow State University in Russia (1985–1991),Peking University (2009), andUniversity of Hong Kong (2013).[19]
Pilzer was employed by Citibank (1976–1981), where he worked in EFT payment technology, government affairs and equity real estate investments. At Citibank he became an officer in 1976 and a vice president in 1980.
In 1981, Pilzer co-founded Zane May Interests inDallas, Texas. It developed 66 projects in the U.S. and the formerUSSR through 1989.GE Capital featured the company in 1989 in its monthly magazine,Financial Enterprise—The Magazine of GE Capital.[20]
Pilzer was a student-teacher in Computer Science from 1975 to 1976 at the University of Pennsylvania. His graduate thesis was the construction of an interactive teaching machine on a mainframe computer. He wrote on the cover of his thesis: "One day this technology will be used to affordably bring the best teacher of every subject to every student."[21]
In 1989, Pilzer founded educational CD-ROM publisher Zane Publishing and served as its CEO and Publisher until the company became publicly listed in 1995 (NASD:ZANE).[22][23]
In 2005, Pilzer co-founded The American Academy, an online high school serving high school dropouts in partnership with their local public high school. Pilzer served as President of The American Academy from 2005 to 2008.[24][25][26]
In 2010, Pilzer founded Zane Prep, Inc. which distributes Zane Math and other STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs through Zaniac after-school learning centers.[27][28] By 2016 Zane Prep had opened ten Zaniac Learning Center locations and Pilzer and the company were featured in national publications ranging fromThe Boston Globe[29] toCNBC[30] toU.S. News & World Report.[31]
In 2016, Pilzer's lifetime commitment to improving education was honored byUniversity of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. On May 11, 2016, Pilzer gave a Keynote Address at theUniversity of Pennsylvania entitled "Where's the Uber of Education Technology?"[32][33]
In 1999, Pilzer founded Extend Health to distribute defined contribution portable individual health insurance policies through employers.[8][34][2] On January 6, 2012, Extend Health filed anIPO but was acquired byTowers Watson for $435 million on May 29, 2012.[35][36]
In 2006, Pilzer founded Zane Benefits, Inc. (now PeopleKeep, Inc.)[37] to offer defined contribution employer health benefits to U.S. employers through aSoftware-As-A-Service product called ZaneHealth. ZaneHealth allows small employers, brokers, and payroll suppliers to offer employees defined contribution health benefits through their own private health insurance exchanges. ZaneHealth helps employers transfer the health insurance risks of their employees to the federal government and has been the subject of front-page articles inThe Wall Street Journal[3]USA Today,[38] andThe New York Times.[39][40][41]
As reported in Club Business International magazine in 2008, Pilzer has criticized the fitness industry for catering mostly to fit individuals and missing the opportunity to serve a growing international obese population.[42]
In 2008, Pilzer was a keynote speaker forPlanet Fitness and in 2010, Pilzer's wife, Lisa Dang Pilzer, became an area developer franchisee for Planet Fitness inSalt Lake City, Utah.[43]
In 2009, Pilzer's bookThe Wellness Revolution was published in China asThe Fifth Wave.[52][53][54] Pilzer addressed the Chinese nation on December 7, 2009, from the Center Podium in the Main Auditorium of theGreat Hall of the People in Beijing, and on December 10, 2009, Pilzer spoke at Peking University.[55]
Professor Pilzer addressing from the Great Hall of the People, December 7, 2009.
Paul Zane Pilzer Speaking at Peking University, Beijing, December 10, 2009.
In 2014, Pilzer was a lecturer atNanjing University and gave a lecture on the future of the Chinese economy to more than 10,000 Chinese business professionals in Nanjing, China.[57]
Other People's Money – The Inside Story of the S&L Mess by Paul Zane Pilzer with Robert Deitz (Simon & Schuster, 1989). Traces the history of savings (deferred gratification for immigrants) through the modern banking system. Reviewed byThe New York Times andThe Economist magazine.[47][48][58]
Unlimited Wealth – The Theory and Practice of Economic Alchemy by Paul Zane Pilzer (Crown Publishers, 1990). Explains how we live in a world of unlimited physical resources because of rapidly advancing technology. After readingUnlimited Wealth, the lateSam Walton, founder ofWalmart, said that he was "amazed at Pilzer's business capacity" and his "ability to put it into layman's terms."[59]
God Wants You To Be Rich – The Theology of Economics by Paul Zane Pilzer (Simon & Schuster, 1995, 1997, 2007). Explains how the foundation of our economic system is based on ourJudeo-Christian heritage. Featured on the front page ofThe Wall Street Journal and on television shows ranging from60 Minutes toFirst Person withMaria Shriver.
The Next Trillion – Why the wellness industry will exceed the $1 trillion health care (sickness) industry in the next ten years by Paul Zane Pilzer (Video Plus, 1999). TheSunday New York Times on August 3, 2003, referred to Pilzer as "the Reagan administration economist turned wellness guru."[6]
The Wellness Revolution – How to Make a Fortune in the Next Trillion Dollar Industry by Paul Zane Pilzer (Wiley Press, 2002). Published in 25 languages including special editions in Hebrew[60] and Chinese.[61] Pilzer received an honorary doctorate in public service for writing this book.
The Fountain of Wealth by Paul Zane Pilzer (Nightingale Conant, 2003). Explains the Six Laws of Economic Alchemy.
The New Health Insurance Solution – How to Get Cheaper, Better Coverage without a Traditional Employer Plan by Paul Zane Pilzer (Wiley Press, 2005, 2007). This book explains how individuals can now get affordable health insurance independent of their employer. This book has been reported on television byCNN,PBS, andPat Robertson’sChristian Broadcasting Network.[62][63][64]
The Next Millionaires by Paul Zane Pilzer (Momentum Media, 2006). Explains why the number of U.S. millionaires doubled in the 1990s and how ordinary people can become one of them.
The New Wellness Revolution – How to Make a Fortune in the Next Trillion Dollar Industry by Paul Zane Pilzer (Wiley Press, 2007). Identifies the newly emerging wellness business and update toThe Wellness Revolution (Wiley Press, 2002).
The Entrepreneurial Challenge – Why This Is The Best Time To Start a New Business, and How To Find The Right Business For You by Paul Zane Pilzer (Nightingale Conant, 2010).
The End of Employer Provided Health Insurance by Paul Zane Pilzer and Rick Lindquist (Wiley Press, 2014). Explains why U.S. employers and employees should change from group health insurance to defined contribution individual health insurance purchased on state-managed exchanges.
Becoming an Entrepreneur: How to Succeed When You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know by Paul Zane Pilzer (ZCI, Inc., 2023). This book is a memoir covering Pilzer's life and career in college, Citibank, and as an entrepreneur.
The New Roaring Twenties 2023-2033: Prosper in Volatile Times by Paul Zane Pilzer with Stephen P. Jarchow (BenBella Books, 2023). This book explains the world economy over the next decade and how the future rests on 12 economic and societal pillars, including Artificial Intelligence, Robots The Gig Economy, Universal Basic Income, Millennials, Consumer Surplus, Free Energy, and what happens in Russia and China.
^abGalbraith, John Kenneth (January 18, 1990)."The Ultimate Scandal".The New York Review of Books. Vol. 36, no. 21.ISSN0028-7504. RetrievedAugust 3, 2025.
