Barnes and Noble

We just wrapped up our Spring 2011 GVSUG meeting!  Just like the previous Fall meeting, this Spring’s meeting was held at the Barnes and Nobles @ RIT.   Our keynote speaker Ken Borowiak traveled up from North Carolina to give two talks: “PRX Functions: There is Hardly Anything Regular About Them!” and “A Closer Look at PROC SQL Options”.  Both talks really highlighted the flexibility of SAS and how tightly SAS integrates with other software.

We also introduced a new session “Careers in SAS” which was all about showing students and young professionals the many possible career tracks available to the SAS programmer.  Tim Schuldt described his work as a statistical programmer/analyst at local higher education consulting firm Scannell & Kurz, Inc. and Joe Guido described his role as a Faculty Associate/Lead Analyst Programmer at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

As is fast becoming tradition, we had prize giveaways compliments of SAS and NESUG as well as pizza from Brandani’s and sweets from Barnes and Nobles @ RIT cafe.

Earl Westerlund gave a presentation highlighting some of the benefits and exciting opportunities available to those attend NESUG 2011 in Portland, Maine September 11-14.  I attended my first NESUG last year in Baltimore and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the presentations, accommodations, and event facilities.  Our own Joe Guido will be chairing the Data Step Programming section this year.

To close out the meeting I gave a presentation “PROC COMPARE: What does Jerusalem have to to with Athens?”  The PowerPoint presentations for all of these talks should be available in the Presentations section of the website in a few days.

Thanks everyone for attending the meeting.  It’s truly a pleasure to be part of such a great user’s group!

Thanks,

Don Gray

Barnes and Nobles @ RIT

Our Fall Meeting was awesome!  The fall meeting of GVSUG at our new meeting place — Barnes and Nobles @ RIT was not only a great location, but a superb program.  We had two talks from Cynthia Zender from the SAS Institute “Tiptoe throught the Templates” and “Customizing ODS Statistical Graphics”.  Mary Loveless, from JMP (a SAS company) gave a great presentation of the JMP product.  Our own Debbie Birdsall gave a great talk on “SAS and Microsoft Word Working Together to Produce Graphics Files”

We had prize giveaways compliments of SAS and NESUG as well as pizza from Brandani’s and sweets from Barnes and Nobles @ RIT cafe.  There was our networking session which was a great time to meet old friends, make new ones and talk about what else …… “SAS”……   Oh, yeah SAS ‘n SUDS ( a tradition ) was great, not only good microbrews, but scrumptious hamburgers, etc.

Our annual elections saw a change in the Chair of GVSUG.  Don Gray is the new chair of our group and we look forward to his leadership of GVSUG.  He replaces Joe Guido who had held the position for the last four years.  Joe will be staying on as an at-large member of the GVSUG board.    Joe was given a generous gift certificate to Carrabba’s as a thank you for his service which was much appreciated.  Janet Albright, treasurer, was re-elected to another term.  Janet has done an outstanding job with not only the finances and fund raising, but many of those “little extras” which continue to make the organization run smoothly.  Michael Tomb has stepped down as Vice-Chair but remains on as an at-large member.  We thank Mike for his service to GVSUG as vice-chair these last four years.

Re-elected as at-large members were Adam Rains (who currently serves as our webmaster), Debbie Birdsall, Sue Greenberg and Bill Csont.  Sam Sanfratello and Kevin Bowen did not seek re-election and we thank them for their past service.

Thank you to all of our members because without you and your wonderful support, GVSUG wouldn’t be the model user group that you have made it!  I hope to see some of you at NESUG in Baltimore, Nov 14-17.  I will be co-chairing the Foundation and Fundamentals section with Dalia Kahane from Westat.

Thanks,

Joe Guido

Dear GVSUGers,

I am sorry to inform you but our Fall 2009 meeting has been CANCELLED due to our keynote speaker being ill.  We plan to reschedule for January 2010.  Stay tuned for more information.  Thank you for your understanding.

Joseph Guido, Chair

GVSUG

Our Fall Meeting is set for Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 3-6pm (registration at 2:30pm). The VENUE has CHANGED for THIS MEETING!!! We will be meeting at the Chair’s workplace (120 Corporate Woods, Suite 350 (behind Phillip’s European Restaurant).

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Dear GVSUGers,

Although I slightly late with this post, I would like to send thanks to Karen Crandall, Adam Rains, Joseph Guido for presenting at the GVSUG Spring Meeting.  Karen gave a great keynote talk on “Practical Macro”.  Adam dazzled us with SAS/Graph and MAPS and Joe spoke about his latest Guido’s Guide (this iteration was PROC UNIVARIATE). 

I would like to thank all who made this meeting a success (especially our treasurer, Janet Albright, who takes care of all the little details).  Also, thanks to the rest of the executive committee of Sue Greenberg, Debbie Birdsall, Sam Sanfratello, Mike Tomb (Vice-Chair), Adam Rains, Bill Csont. 

Thanks especially to you, our members!!!

Sincerely,

Joseph Guido, Chair