Acknowledgements

So, how did I become a SAS/GRAPH expert and end up writing this book? There are many people who played a role in that, but I’d specifically like to thank the following:

Dr. Moon Suh, my advisor at NCSU, who first introduced me to SAS software, encouraged me to become a “data meister,” and challenged me to learn how to create analytic graphics.

Dr. David Dickey, my time series professor at NCSU, who “showed me the light” with his tricky SAS examples in class and at user conferences, and showed me that anything is possible with SAS/GRAPH.

Mike Zdeb, who has worked on joint conference papers with me, and who sends me “ideas” and “challenges” on an almost weekly basis so that I don’t run out of ideas.

Stephen Few, who gave me the opportunity to win the DM Review dashboard contest and who also allows me to bounce ideas off him. He keeps me pointed in the right direction in pursuit of “graphical excellence.”

SAS Institute, for providing SAS software to NCSU (for free), where I used it for my dissertation project. As the saying goes, “When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” SAS software was (and still is) a superb hammer!

Meg Pounds, who was my boss for 10 years, and who gave me the flexibility to spend my testing time experimenting with the SAS/GRAPH software, learning and inventing new things to do with it, and working with the developers to request new features that enable us to create even better custom graphs.

Robert Dolan, who played a major role in adding several of the underlying features that I use such as anti-aliasing, support for more than 16 million colors, and transparency.

Kathleen Ramage, who has continued to support and enhance the traditional SAS/GRAPH procedures such as PROC GCHART, by adding the key features I need in order to create the perfect graph.

And my Mom, who let me draw graphics on the attic walls and encouraged me to design posters for 4-H demonstrations and a slew of other things growing up.

I would also like to thank the following technical reviewers and others who helped out behind the scenes:

Steve England - Technical Reviewer

Marcia Surratt - Technical Reviewer

Mike Zdeb -Technical Reviewer

Brad Kellam - Copy Editor

Marchellina Waugh - Cover Design

Jennifer Dilley - Graphics

Denise Jones - Production Specialist

Stacey Hamilton - Marketing Specialist

Mary Beth Steinbach - Managing Editor

George McDaniel – Development Editor