The conference is less than a month away and I am excited to travel to SAS Global Forum. It seems like just yesterday when I accepted the responsibility of being the conference chair, I was full of ideas and aspirations for what I envisioned at this conference. Fortunately, all these goals are coming to fruition thanks to all the hard work and team efforts from our wonderful SAS community.

There are so many exciting aspects of this conference that will elevate the conference to newer heights. I promise there is something special for each and every one of you attending. This year our conference has gotten larger and grander, not just in reflection of the number of attendees already registered, but also a treat for those who wish they could’ve joined us in person. We will be livestreaming all our key happenings throughout the conference allowing you to watch and participate online with the click of a button. For those onsite, this year promises to be the year of the poster. We have a record numbers of posters being showcased on various topics. So feel free to mingle, exchange knowledge and chat with our authors.

For those of you who like to plan ahead like me, I’d encourage you to have an agenda to optimize your time before hitting your favorite spots at the conference. Between the SAS Support and Demo Area, attending the Keynote Presentations and unwinding with your colleagues at the Get-Acquainted reception, don’t forget to give back to your community. We have a special Bicycle Building charity event planned that gives you a rare chance to do something unique with your SAS comrades while having fun and giving back.

For the social media savants attending the conference, I welcome you to participate in an informal, pre-conference gathering TweetUp on Saturday, April 27 at 8:00 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis. A fun opportunity for people to meet their followers face-to-face and chat in more than 140 characters.

So come share your strengths and multiply your powers! This year’s conference offers the perfect platform to do so which revolves around the central theme of strength in numbers. I’m eagerly looking forward to meeting you all at San Francisco next. See you soon!