Company: Santander Consumer Bank in Germany
Title: Analytical Risk Expert
Job responsibility: Developing risk scorecards
Products: SAS Credit Scoring for Banking, SAS Enterprise Miner

Thanks to her suggestions, bug reports and willingness to ask “What if?” Monika Nauroth helped SAS isolate problems and greatly improve usability and functionality in SAS Enterprise Miner and SAS Credit Scoring for Banking. Her feedback resulted in six hot fixes, five SAS notes, and new features in SAS Enterprise Miner.

I sat down with Monika before she received her award to find out more:

How long have you been using SAS?
My use of SAS started within an internship at Santander in 2004. I also programmed in Base SAS and SAS/STAT for my diploma thesis for my Masters Degree in Economic Mathematics. Since then I am using it constantly for my work in Risk Management at Santander Consumer Bank. For predictive modeling, we implemented SAS Enterprise Miner and the Credit Scoring Solution in 2006, and I've used it for credit scorecard development since then. This solution immediately provided Santander with the ability to analyze and understand their customers, and to do scorecard development at an advanced level within a short time.

What tips do you have for other SAS users?
Two things: First, don’t always use the Enterprise Miner default. Second, if there’s something you don’t understand, review the documentation and if that doesn’t answer your question, call SAS technical support.

What are you most looking forward to about SAS Global Forum 2010?
I have a 12-page agenda set up! I am looking forward to seeing demos of the new version of Enterprise Miner. I got a sneak preview and was surprised to see that some of my suggestions have already been incorporated into the new version. I’m also looking forward to meeting the developers, Billy Sue Anderson, Dave Duling and Product Manager Wayne Thompson.

This is your first trip to the US. What’s your favorite thing you’ve done so far?
We took the “Duck Tour” of Seattle yesterday. That was interesting to say the least….!

How do you feel about winning SAS’ top technical award?
When Karoline Förster and Tamara Fischer called me to notify me that I have won this award, I was speechless. I am very proud and honored that SAS appreciates my work so much. But, I didn’t do it all by myself. I had the help and support of so many people and I would like to thank all of them.