Data and HMDA Compliance – A Dangerous Intersection?
The regulatory environment is in a constant state of change. But one thing is certain: Regulators are ratcheting up the stakes. As a result, banks and mortgage companies must gather, maintain and interpret data – especially that which is covered by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), designed to root out predatory and discriminatory lending. Read more.

Your BI Competency Center: A Blueprint for Successful Deployment
This article provides a blueprint for developing and deploying a Business Intelligence Competency Center (BICC). This blueprint will enable you to determine the BICC scope and structure that best serve your organization's environment. We also discuss critical success factors for maximizing the return on your investment in a BICC. Read the full article from Business Intelligence Journal.

Want to learn more about BICCs? View Bringing it all together: Advancing the use of BI and analytics across the organization, an on-demand Webcast from SAS. Sign up today.

From Tactics to Strategy
Many financial institutions have rushed to adopt new risk management systems, pressured by economic realities and regulations that include the Basel II accord, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, new corporate governance and accounting standards, and internal requirements. IT managers believe they have the data needed to drive these systems – for example, transactional data generated by day-to-day business activities and held in operational databases. They also believe that there is a software package for every type of risk. Read more.

Dynamic Pricing and Profitability: Details and Explanations
Dynamic Pricing and Profitability Management (DPPM) from SAS and Amdocs enables banks to adopt customer-focused product and pricing management, which results in longer, more profitable customer engagements, as well as process improvements that reduce cost and improve overall operational agility. Read this Q&A with Doug Green, Client Business Executive North America at Amdocs, and David Macdonald, General Manager of the SAS Financial Services Group.

BB&T: Tackling Anti-Money Laundering Issues with SAS®
Post-9/11 regulations under the USA PATRIOT Act require additional due diligence in identifying and reporting money-laundering activities, particularly as related to suspected terrorist financing activity. In response, BB&T Corp. turned to SAS Anti-Money Laundering to help meet regulatory requirements. The organization found that SAS provided an easy-to-use program with solid technical support. Read the complete customer success story.

VKB Takes a Proactive Approach to Risk
Austrian bank VKB (Volkskreditbank AG) set out to develop a simpler and faster lending process in order to reduce its credit risk. Facing issues of employee motivation and acceptance of the Basel II rules, the bank chose SAS for flexibility and technical support, resulting in improved credit scoring and Basel II compliance. Read the full story.

Predictive Performance Management
April 10, Live Webcast
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Many industry leaders have coupled new analytic technologies with current performance management systems for enhanced alignment and visibility. Learn how you, too, can maximize performance – not just manage it – by viewing this informative live Webcast.

BAI Profitability and Performance Measurement Conference
April 23-25
New Orleans
SAS is a sponsor of this conference, where top practitioners will discuss the hot topics affecting profitability and performance measurement.

Real-World Applications of Risk-Based AML Monitoring
On-Demand Webcast
This Webcast features presentations by anti-money laundering experts at BB&T, Sovereign Bank and SAS.

What Insurers Need to Know About Service-Oriented Architecture
On-Demand Webcast
In this archived Webcast, you'll learn about the challenges and keys to success in integrating business and IT architectures.

SAS Education Partners with Basel II Experts for New Course
Financial institutions around the world face the critical challenge of building effective and high-performing credit scoring systems that meet Basel II requirements. To help overcome that challenge, SAS Education is teaming up with instructors Bart Baesens and Christophe Mues to offer a new course on Basel II called Credit Scoring Solutions and Modeling for Basel II Using SAS. The course will be offered in the United States, in Canada and in Great Britain. Focusing on the issues involved in developing credit risk models in the context of the recent Basel II guidelines, the course provides a sound mix of both theoretical and technical insight, as well as practical implementation details. Learn more.

SAS® Learning Edition 4.1 Now Available
This innovative and comprehensive personal learning version of SAS is provided on two CD-ROMs, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from your PC. This latest and expanded version includes Base SAS® 9.1.3, SAS/STAT®, SAS/GRAPH®, SAS/QC®, SAS/ETS® and SAS Enterprise Guide® 4.1, and it is bundled with The Little SAS Book for Enterprise Guide 4.1. This is a great way to teach yourself SAS! Read more.

Data Preparation for Analytics Using SAS®
This book is written for anyone involved in the data preparation process for analytics. The user-friendly text offers practical advice in the form of SAS coding tips and tricks, and provides the reader with a conceptual background on data structures and considerations from the business point of view. Read more or order online today.

Advancing Analytics
SAS and North Carolina State University team up to offer the world's first advanced degree in analytics. Read more.

Have a question, comment or suggestion? Want to see something covered in the next SAS Financial Services News? Simply e-mail the editor.