Jim Goodnight of SAS inducted into 2005 CRN Industry Hall of Fame

CEO is one of five recognized at ninth annual awards ceremony honoring technology leaders who have transformed the technology industry

CARY, N.C.  (Nov. 16, 2005)  –  SAS, the leader in business intelligence, today announced that Dr. Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS, has been inducted into the CRN Industry Hall of Fame. The honor celebrates his more than 30 years of contributions to the analytic software industry, his commitment to education and his pioneering vision of what a workplace should be.
 
“Since Jim created SAS in the 1970s, he’s had a knack for knowing what the next critical business trend would be,” said Jim Davis, SAS senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “He always makes sure SAS is positioned to capitalize. Along the way, he created a workplace that fosters innovation and creativity, and fosters great loyalty among employees and customers. It was a revolutionary business model then and remains so.”

Under Goodnight’s direction, SAS has maintained steady growth since its inception in 1976, with increasing revenues each year. SAS software has evolved along with dynamic market demands, the most recent milestones being the releases of the SAS®9 Intelligence Platform and the SAS® Enterprise BI Server. These technologies provide the most powerful and effective platform for enterprise intelligence on the market today. SAS’ world-class software and its award-winning employee-friendly culture combine to create low turnover of both customers and employees, which has fueled SAS’ sustained growth.

Goodnight also has a vision of what the educational system can be in the 21st century. Students are more tech-savvy then ever, and the integration of technology into education can enhance the learning environment. With this belief in mind, in 1996, Goodnight established SAS inSchool, a Web-based planning resource for teachers and students in grades 8-12. Schools across the country now use SAS inSchool for just a small access fee per student, driving wide access to these powerful resources. Goodnight also brought to SAS the developers of the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS), which measures the effects of schooling on student academic progress. Lastly, Goodnight and his wife Ann, with SAS cofounder John Sall and his wife, Ginger, in 1996 founded Cary Academy, an independent secondary school in Cary, N.C., that serves as a model of how technology can improve the educational process.

The CRN Industry Hall of Fame, sponsored by CMP Media’s CRN, vital information for VARs and technology integrators, is the most anticipated event in the high-tech industry, honoring innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders in the most dynamic industry in the world. The ninth annual awards ceremony honored five individuals who have transformed the technology industry and recognized them for having shaped the course of technology with a lasting impact on society. 

CRN Industry Hall of Fame inductees are hand-selected by the CRN editorial staff. CRN identifies pioneers and innovators for outstanding merit and accomplishment through a stringent criteria analysis and singles out those who have been pivotal figures in the evolution of the most dynamic industry in the business.

Established in 1997, the CRN Industry Hall of Fame recognizes and honors individuals who have transformed the technology industry with new ideas, revolutionary concepts and ingenious technology. Industry Hall of Fame alumni include legendary leaders of highly recognized companies such as William Hewlett, Andy Grove, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Charles Geschke and Michael Dell; industry renowned engineers and developers such as Philip Zimmermann, Steve Wozniak, Bill Joy, Ray Ozzie and Drew Major; outspoken visionaries such as Steve Ballmer, Larry Ellison, Chip Lacy and Philippe Kahn; and other industry catalysts, such as Douglas Engelbart, Mort Rosenthal, Tim Berners-Lee, Don Estridge, Vint Cerf and Bill Millard. 

“I’m grateful to CRN for this honor,” said Goodnight. “It’s been an exciting and challenging journey to this point, and this induction and the success of SAS would not have been possible without the talent and commitment of the company’s employees and customers.”

For additional information on CRN and to read more about the CRN Industry Hall of Fame, visit www.crn.com/hof. A special report on the Industry Hall of Fame will be published in the Dec. 12 issue of CRN.
 
 

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