Date:         Wed, 15 Oct 2003 21:15:17 -0400
Reply-To:     "Michael L. Davis" <michael@BASSETTCONSULTING.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Michael L. Davis" <michael@BASSETTCONSULTING.COM>
Subject:      Re: SAS employee Dave Brumitt dies
In-Reply-To:  <5a02fa39.d3358119.8166500@punts1.cc.uga.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Hello Friends,

I was greatly saddened to learn of Dave's passing.  For the benefit of
those on our list who might not be aware of the enormous debt that SAS
users owe to Dave, please let me relate four stories:

1.  Several years ago, one of my consulting clients had a problem with
their SAS license.  It was not due to the usual cause, delay in payment.  I
worked with the client during the late afternoon to solve the problem and
talked with several SAS employees without success.  The client and I were
not successful in getting the correct setinit until the following day.

When Dave found out about the episode, he did several things.  First, he
took it upon himself to apologize to my client even though the original
fault was not due to Technical Support.  He arranged for SAS customers to
be able to receive emergency setinits from the Tech Support web
site.  Last, he visited each SAS Technical Support department meeting to
relate the story of what had occurred and to make sure that each Technical
Support division employee understood that they would not get in trouble by
helping a customer in a similar situation.

2.  Did you ever notice how in some parts of the SAS web site, you need to
have a profile and to login to obtain download files?  However, in the part
of the Tech Support web site where one obtains patches and zaps, it is not
necessary to sign in.  That was Dave's doing.  He felt very strongly that
customers should not have to create and use a profile to get such downloads.

3.  A long time ago, I had a conversation with someone in Tech Support that
was not entirely pleasant but not worth pursing further.  I shook it off
and went about my business.  A few weeks later, I received a telephone call
from Dave.  He apologized for the incident and told me that he was working
with that individual to prevent a similar episode from occurring.

4.  Around the time that I wrote the "One-Eyed Guide", I talked to Dave
about offering Technical Support by e-mail as well as by telephone.  Dave's
boss was afraid that opening up Technical Support to e-mail would drown the
consultants.  She felt that having to pay for long-distance telephone calls
regulated the number of technical support tracks to a manageable
volume.  Dave knew better then.  We all know better now.

When I decided to become a SAS consultant a decade ago, I worried about
getting stumped by technical problems.  Thanks to SAS Technical Support
(and my friends on SAS-L), that feared event has never happened.  While
that result is due to a great many SAS employees, the contributions of Dave
Brumitt figure prominently.  As much as anyone that I have ever met, David
respected and preserved the dignity of customers.  David, wherever you
might be tonight, please accept my profound thanks.

- Michael "Mad Doggy" Davis

At 10:13 AM 10/15/2003 -0400, "F. J. Kelley" <jkelley@UGA.EDU> wrote:
>A number of folks on this list will know Dave; sad news.
>
>---- Original message ----
> >
> >   I was at SAS yesterday briefly and heard this
> >   news.......thought I would pass it along.  Met
> >   briefly with Lorraine Rizzon, too.  More later ---
> >   Neil
> >
> >   Subject:        SAS employee Dave Brumitt dies
> >
> >   Microsoft Photo Editor 3.0 Picture
> >   Dave Brumitt, 58, who led the Technical Support
> >   Division at SAS from 1996 until earlier this year,
> >   died Oct. 14 at his home after more than a year-long
> >   battle with cancer.
> >
> >   Dave joined SAS in 1985 as manager of the PC/UNIX
> >   Dept. in Technical Support, a position he held for
> >   nearly nine years. He then transferred to
> >   Asia/Pacific Operations for several years, traveling
> >   all over the Asia/Pacific area meeting with
> >   customers. In April 1996, he returned to Technical
> >   Support, assuming the role of director, a position
> >   he held until he took a leave of absence earlier
> >   this year for medical reasons.
> >
> >   As director, Dave spearheaded global technical
> >   support and the development of Tech Support's
> >   external Web site that allowed SAS users access to
> >   the support they needed right at their fingertips.
> >   Well-received and respected among SAS users
> >   everywhere, Dave presented many technical papers and
> >   was a highly requested speaker at regional user
> >   conferences.
> >
> >   "Dave was the driver for providing the global
> >   technical support services for our user community
> >   that we have today," said Chief Technology Officer
> >   Keith Collins. "He worked really hard on this for a
> >   very long time and was most proud to be able to put
> >   this service out there for so many. He also was very
> >   proud of the people in Technical Support and the
> >   skills and enthusiasm that they brought to their
> >   jobs each day. He's been a great advocate of SAS,
> >   and we will surely miss him. And, I will miss my
> >   good partner for skiing the bumps."
> >
> >   Long-time friend Randy Betancourt, a marketing
> >   solutions strategist at SAS, traveled around the
> >   world with Dave meeting SAS users. "He had a keen
> >   interest in helping people understand how to use our
> >   software and he made a real connection to the SAS
> >   user community," said Randy.  "I was also impressed
> >   with the way that Dave faced his disease with grace
> >   and dignity and kept his sense of humor."
> >
> >   Dave is survived by his wife, Barbara Wiedemann.
> >   There will be a closed, private funeral service for
> >   family members only. The family asks that their
> >   privacy be respected during this time of sorrow.
> >
> >   Donations in memory of Dave can be sent to the
> >   following:
> >
> >   Triangle Community Foundation
> >   Dave Brumitt Fund
> >   P.O. Box 75393
> >   Charlotte, NC 28275-0393
> >
> >   Hospice of Wake County (in memory of Dave Brumitt)
> >   1300 St. Mary's Street, 4th Floor
> >   Raleigh, NC 27605
> >   Tel: (919) 828-0890
> >   In honor of Dave, the SAS corporate flag will fly at
> >   half-staff in Cary on Oct 15 and 16.
> >

Michael L. Davis
Vice President
Bassett Consulting Services, Inc.
10 Pleasant Drive
North Haven  CT  06473-3712
E-Mail:  michael@bassettconsulting.com
Web:  http://www.bassettconsulting.com
Telephone:    203-562-0640
Facsimile:    203-498-1414
Messages:     888-477-1412