Strategic Forecasting, Inc. (translated as "Strategic Forecasting") - known as Stratfor - is a publishing house and a global intelligence company, founded in 1996 in Austin, Texas, by George Friedman, who was the company chairman of the board until May 2015. Dave Sikora is President and Chief Executive Officer. Fred Burton is the vice president in charge of intelligence gathering.Stratfor advertises itself as a geopolitical intelligence and consulting firm that receives revenue from a subscription to its website, as well as from corporate clients. As for consulting, according to the company, it helps clients identify opportunities, make strategic decisions and manage political risks and security threats.Stratfor began publishing daily intelligence information from its inception in 1996. She achieved fame by creating a section on her website called the Kosovo Crisis Center (Kosovo Crisis Center) during NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia over Kosovo in 1999. This section has received wide publicity in Time, Texas Monthly and other magazines. Until the end of 1999, however, Stratfor provided a subscription service, through which it offered most of its analytical materials.The company is engaged in the collection and analysis of information about events in the world, which comes from both its own and open sources of information. The composition of the company's customers is confidential, it is known that among them are the largest firms and government services of the United States and other countries.In addition to publishing and consulting work, Stratfor also provides its analysts for public speaking. Some of Stratfor’s analytical work remains available to the public free of charge.In 2015, the company has 100 employees.