Larry LaRusso is the editor of the SAS Tech Report and SAS Learning Report newsletters and the SAS Users, Learning Post and Analytics U blogs. He has worked at SAS since 2000 in marketing, communications, customer experience and management roles for both the Education Division and External Communications. You can follow him on Twitter @lalaru102.
SAS Global Forum 2016 is the largest gathering of SAS users in the world, with more than 5,000 data scientists, analytic professionals and business leaders expected for this year’s event at The Venetian in Las Vegas, April 18-21. While many users make the event a part of their professional development
SAS Global Forum is the premier worldwide event for SAS professionals. It brings nearly 5,000 users and executives from across the world together to share new techniques and technologies to help expand users’ SAS skills. But an event of this size (hundreds of presentations, dozens of workshops and several networking
SAS Global Forum is an all-volunteer event, with SAS users from around the globe serving in a variety of roles to make the event happen. Still, no position is more impactful to the success of the conference than the SAS Global Forum Conference Chair. Its importance is highlighted by the
This April, thousands of SAS users will converge on Las Vegas for the premier event for SAS professionals: SAS Global Forum. The event will attract users from across the globe; in every industry imaginable; and from countless government and academic institutions. It’s an excellent place to network with and learn
If you install, update, manage or maintain a SAS deployment, you're a SAS administrator, and a very valuable resource for your organization. Every day, SAS users at your company depend on you to do their job. Being a SAS administrator is a critical and rewarding role, but it can sometimes be a lonely one as
"Where do you go to get help with SAS?" It's a question I've asked users more times than I can remember. Some will tell me they take a SAS class or call SAS Technical Support, but the most common answer is "colleagues." There's no doubt fellow users are a great resource, but if you're only relying on colleagues at your
At the top of SAS Technical Support’s Policy page you’ll find the department’s mission statement: "help our customers make the best use of our software products through effective and responsive support, active advocacy, and a broad and flexible range of self-help resources." We deliver on that promise with outstanding support,
As a longtime fan of the New York Mets and a longtime employee of SAS, I'm particularly excited about the start of the World Series. In 2014, the Mets and SAS formed a partnership to use SAS analytics to help the organization build stronger relationships with its fan base. While the vast majority of the credit
To kick off his presentation at MWSUG2015, SAS’ Chevell Parker flashed a picture of an old-school phone booth and asked the audience where he could find the nearest one. Met with several seconds of silence, he smiled. “Don’t all answer at once!” The point of his question was obvious: as
Good news SAS users; you are a hot commodity. That’s the primary message Kirk Paul Lafler from Software Intelligence Corporation and Charlie Shipp of Consider Consulting Corporation delivered to a room full of users at MWSUG 2015. Citing figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a recent CNN Money
For students interested in a career in analytics, there’s no better preparation than solving real-world problems using “big data” sets. At SAS Global Forum 2016, students will have an opportunity to showcase their analytical skills by competing in the SAS Student Symposium. The symposium, a new initiative of the SAS Global Users Group
We are all busy. Between demands from our career, families and communities, I am willing to bet we easily fill the 24 hours we get each day. But sometimes we're in such a rush or so focused on getting our to-do list checked off that we miss out on some
I loved watching the Winter Olympics last month. The unique events, amazing athletes, world records, and the emotion – it's hard not to be totally absorbed in it all. Mostly, I'm a sucker for those sentimental athlete profiles. The dedication and the extensive training they endure is truly amazing. Noelle
Today is Valentine's Day, and for many people it will be a day to celebrate with their significant other. Whether it's expressed by a nice dinner out, a bouquet of roses, or a big box of chocolates, there's no doubt that love will be in the air. It reminds me
Each year on New Year's Day I write down a list of New Year's resolutions. Most of them are garden variety resolutions – sleep more and eat better, for example – but occasionally I'll get caught up in the possibilities of a new year and commit to something I realize
Editor's note: This post was updated on 8/5/16. “One time a fellow came up to me and said, ‘Tell me something unique about you,” said David Chapman, of Chapman Analytics, “I said, ‘I used SAS when SAS was free.” Needless to say, Chapman has been using SAS for a long
Unlike many of you, data hasn’t always ruled my world. Though I took statistics and economics classes in college, I built my academic career around studying history and writing papers like “The Importance of the Family Dinner in Preserving the Italian Culture among Immigrants.” Don’t laugh; it earned me an
I had the pleasure of attending Gongwei Chen’s SAS Global Forum 2010 presentation, Get Certified as an Advanced SAS® Programmer in Six Months or Less! As you might expect, Gongwei is a Certified Advanced Programmer. To become certified at the advanced level, a programmer must pass both the SAS Base
