The majority of the consultants for the Financial Risk Group have now earned coveted certifications for their abilities in programming with SAS software.

Since the end of 2014, seven additional risk consultants have passed rigorous exams designating them either SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9, or SAS Certified Advanced Programmer for SAS 9.

The certification is validation of the consultants’ SAS skills and expertise in the company’s analytics and data management software.

Certification is only achieved after a rigorous course of study in programming and data management (for the base certification), and advanced DATA step programming, SAS SQL code and SAS MACRO facility (for the advanced certification).

The certifications build on each other. A prerequisite for taking the advanced exam is becoming SAS Base certified.

“It’s something to be proud of,” said FRG Operations Manager Ann Stoddard. “It proves that these employees have skills that are in high demand around the world. It’s a designation that anyone in the industry recognizes, which helps the consultants’ marketability and also helps FRG promote our services to our clients.”

Certification is important enough that the company has structured its New Employees Education Training (NEET) program so that graduates should pass both the base and advanced tests within 12 months, preparing them for real-world situations so they are ready to be assigned to client projects.

FRG congratulates these consultants for their achievements.

• Joe Gong, advanced certification
• Robert Hearne, advanced certification
• Colleen Kirksey, base certification
• Kyle McCarthy, base certification
• Clay Parker, base and advanced certification
• Justin Smith, base and advanced certification
• Cameron Visser, base and advanced certification