I've recently had the chance to work with Olivia Parr-Rud, an internationally recognized expert and thought leader in predictive analytics and innovative leadership. Her pioneering techniques in predictive modeling led to the writing of her first book, Data Mining Cookbook, Modeling for Acquisition, Risk and Customer Relationship Management (Wiley 2001). Olivia's passion for finding successful solutions for her clients inspired her research into the organizational dynamics and innovative leadership that support a culture of analytics. Her insights and observations are detailed in her second book, Business Intelligence Success Factors, Aligning for Success in a Global Economy (Wiley/SAS, 2009).

Olivia will be joining host, Eric Siegel, Ph.D. Program Chair, Predictive Analytics World for a live webinar on January 26.   "Drive Your Business with Predictive Analytics"  is based on findings from a recent paper Olivia has been working on with TechTarget and my colleagues at SAS.  We all know, as global competition continues to shrink profit margins, organizations are seeking ways to increase revenue and reduce expenses. At the same time, businesses are being deluged with data from every action, operation and touch point. While this exponential increase in information is presenting challenges for many organizations, others are leveraging it to drive their business to higher profits. When times get tough, smart companies use predictive analytics to turn data into knowledge and gain a competitive advantage.

On that note, Olivia will share a definition of predictive analytics - that is,  a blend of tools and techniques that enable organizations to identify patterns in data that can be used to make predictions of future outcomes.  In business, predictive analytics typically take the form of predictive models that are used to drive better decision-making. So, we invite you to mark you calendars and join Olivia and Eric for this webinar where you will learn:

• The most powerful and robust techniques for predictive analysis.
• Types and sources of data used in developing predictive models.
• Powerful applications of predictive analytics across a variety of industries.

Olivia currently works with clients in the areas of predictive analytics and leadership development. Her clients include Cisco, Citizens, Clorox, HP, IBM, Xerox, Wells Fargo, Sprint, Nationwide, and SAS. Olivia has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and a Master of Science in Statistics.  Please join me along with Olivia and Eric this Thursday!