SAS co-founder, John Sall, in the early days of SASToday, July 1, is the 50-year anniversary of SAS Institute, the day we moved across Hillsborough Street into offices in the back building of Carter Williams Architects. We started with the four founders, plus Joyce Massengill, administrative assistant, and Ann Goodnight, publication sales. SAS has grown slowly but steadily over the years into a large, important company now. It has always been a great place to work.
As a founding employee, along with my manager, Jim Goodnight, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary of employment at SAS, though we worked on the SAS project before this when it was at NC State.
The original Building A, at SAS world headquarters, was located where The Umstead Hotel and Spa currently sit.
I have always held the VP title in R&D, but my job has varied significantly. My office moved from Hillborough Street to Building A in Cary, where the Umstead Hotel is now. Then my office moved from building A to building E, where I started the SAS-on-the-PC project; then to building J, where I started the JMP project; then to building R; then to building S; then to building T; and now to the new building A. I worked on many projects, including the Interactive Matrix Language. At SAS, I was head of the Applications Division, in contrast with the Host, Core, Graphics, and other R&D divisions. Then I started up the JMP project in 1988, which I still lead.
(L to R) Bill Gjertsen, John Sall, Jim Goodnight, and Tony Barr presenting about SAS in the 1970s.It has been an amazing 50 years, and no two days have been the same. I have much treasured all the people that I have worked with over all these years, and especially the people with JMP. I have no plans to retire so far. I have great confidence in JMP's continued bright future.
Read more about SAS' 50th anniversaries and corresponding celebrations in this InsideSAS article.
If you are on campus on July 1, don't miss free cupcakes in the cafes, and a throwback to some of our original and old favorite breakroom snack lineups, including chocolate Teddy Grahams, Better Cheddars, Fig Newtons, and more!