SAS again named to FORTUNE list of ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’

-- 2006 marks the company’s ninth straight year on the list --

CARY, NC (Jan. 11, 2006) -- SAS, the leader in business intelligence, again was named to FORTUNE's annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. SAS has appeared on the prestigious list all nine years it has been published, with six top-10 ratings. Last year, this consistent performance earned the company a membership in the magazine’s Hall of Fame, whose 22 inductees have appeared on every list since 1998.

This year, SAS was named No. 1 in child care and appeared on the lists for companies with the best health care and work-life balance. SAS comes in as the highest-ranked software company at 30.

“We are very pleased to once again be named to the list,” said Jeff Chambers, SAS vice president of human resources. “At SAS, we have maintained the high quality of our employee-friendly workplace, while adding innovative programs that fit our business model – an approach that has led to 30 years of sustained success.”

Recently, SAS added a retiree health care benefit at a time when many employers were cutting back or eliminating similar benefits. Also, in August the company opened a new health care center, work-life center and employee services facility at its world headquarters here.

San Francisco drug maker Genentech tops FORTUNE’s ninth annual list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America. Second on the list is Wegmans Food Markets, the Rochester-based grocery chain. San Antonio-based petroleum refinery Valero Energy is No. 3, while the No. 4 spot is held by Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT. WL Gore, the privately held maker of Gore-Tex fabric, fills out the top five. The complete rankings and accompanying stories appear in the Jan. 23 issue of FORTUNE and are currently available at www.fortune.com.

This year 466 companies applied for recognition on the list, up from 356 candidate companies last year. “The 100 Best Companies to Work For” list is compiled by Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco, based on two criteria: an evaluation of the policies and culture of each company, and the opinions of the company’s employees. Companies are scored in four areas: credibility (communication to employees), respect (opportunities and benefits), fairness (compensation, diversity), and pride/camaraderie (philanthropy, celebrations).