John Quinn is a Marketing Communications Manager for SAS Canada.
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a PR campaign designed to bring awareness to the analytics software we develop for our customers. These programs are very effective revolutionary tools, yet many don’t even know the technology exists! I would love for people to know that some of the resources they take for granted would not be possible if it were not for this powerful software called analytics.
What are you reading?
I’m actually reading a book I found at a yard sale entitled Elvis and Gladys. I shamelessly love Elvis so I am always interested in discovering new facts about his life and career. I‘m trying to avoid reading it from a Freudian perspective; however, the cover makes it difficult. I also like to read Vanity Fair, the green issue, on the weekend. At one point I put it down on the coffee table and just as I was about to resume reading the Madonna feature, my daughter Adelaide spilled my glass of Pepsi all over it. So, I fittingly threw it in the recycling bin. Then I watched an episode of Extras starring Ricky Gervais from The Office (UK). It’s brilliant stuff.
How do you see SAS impacting the average person's life in five years?
The ways in which our technology benefits businesses, researchers, and the average person daily is astounding. In five years, I’d like to think that our software will not only make the world a better, faster, smarter place, but also will help make it a safer, healthier and more humanistic place.
Tell us about one of your favorite experiences with a SAS customer.
I’ll be honest – there are far too many! Especially memorable customer experiences are the ones in which you meet people who are truly passionate about the work they do, have an endless supply of curiosity, and see the potential in everything. These are the people who will use analytics to make the world truly a better place.
What industry trends are you watching?
Energy! In particular, I am intrigued by the ongoing debate on bio fuels. On one hand, bio fuels seem to be such a simple solution to our reliance on fossil fuels. On the other hand, there are so many issues, such as the food vs. fuel debate. Nothing is simple...