Acknowledgments

Putting together a project like this always requires more than the sole efforts of the authors. They must be joined in the undertaking by a team of editors, reviewers, and other production specialists. There are, however, varying levels of ease with which this process can unfold. It has been our pleasure to have worked on this book with the productive, patient, good-natured, supportive, and all-around top-level staff members of the SAS Institute Books By Users program. We wish to thank as a group the entire staff that was involved with this effort and to single out a few key individuals.

David Baggett initially coaxed us into taking on this project, and his gentle and patient leadership and support has helped us carry it to fruition. Jennifer Ginn added sage advice throughout and, at times, helped to free us of inter-author entanglements that may not have been so easily resolved without her intervention. Hanna Schoenrock, in calmly putting up with the obsessive nitpicking ruminations of one of the authors, provided a model of lasting and moderate temperament through many editing, re-editing, and re-re-editing cycles. The entire team of Institute reviewers, and in particular, Carol Linden and Tom Hahl, gave us just the right amount of technical and editorial advice to keep us on the right path. Candy Farrell, Blanche Phillips, and John West provided outstanding production and proofreading services. We wish to extend our sincerest appreciation to all the members of this highly professional team.

The other teams that deserve special recognition are our families. Their continued and loving support throughout the process of putting this book together made our efforts all that much more worthwhile and meaningful. It is with gratitude, affection, and appreciation that this book is dedicated to Jan, Russell, and Preston Cody, and to Wendy, Erica, and Dory Pass.

Ron Cody and Ray Pass