Suzanne Gordon
B.S., 1975 / M.S., 1980
Ask Suzanne Gordon, SAS Institute's VP of Information Technology,
the key to her success and she will tell you it took a strong
foundation, a good dose of hard work and determination, and
more than one ironic twist of fate.
"I got a very strong educational foundation at NC State,"
says Gordon. She continues to be impressed with the students
that come out of NCSU, and she has brought many onboard at
SAS. "I find the NCSU students adapt quickly to new technologies…they
just 'get it' faster", she says with pride.
However, Gordon would like to see more females in technology
disciplines. "I had several females in my suite at NC
State who started out majoring in computer science" says
Gordon, who graduated with honors in both mathematics and
computer science in 1975. "Unfortunately, I was the only
one to stay with it" she adds. "The gradual decline
of women in the engineering and technology fields is disturbing,
and I want to encourage young women to take advantage of the
many terrific career opportunities available in this space.
And the reality is that the technology field needs women and
the different perspective they bring to the table."
Ironically, Gordon's rise to the top leadership position
over SAS' global IT team was, in fact, launched by an interesting
twist of fate. "Funny," she says, "that it
took me going back to get my master's degree in statistics
that ultimately opened the door for the move to SAS….and
back into a computer science related role." A similar
twist occurred a few years ago when she was asked to take
on an acting VP role in Professional Services, primarily a
sales and marketing focused team. Gordon says she felt there
was a bit of divine intervention guiding here to this role.
"The time spent in professional services was a valuable
learning experience", she said. "Without a doubt,
it helped give me a more objective view of the business and
our customer's needs, a perspective that I think will help
me be a better leader as the VP of Information Technology."
When asked about the professors who made the greatest impression
on her, Gordon answers without hesitation, "Dr. Honeycutt
and Dr. Tharp." She continues, "Dr. Honeycutt taught
my first computer science course. He is great with new students
and has stayed in touch with me over the years. He has also
sent us some terrific graduate students here at SAS. And Dr.
Tharp was also an outstanding teacher who has stayed in touch
over the years. This is one of the things I appreciate most
about my education at NC State. Not only did I receive an
outstanding education, I developed meaningful relationships
with a caring faculty. NC State is a great school with real
people who are an example of our state motto, 'to be rather
than to seem'."
Gordon's passion is developing people by helping them find
the right place to flourish. She has been a strong proponent
of hiring students, and she works hard to help them develop
their skills and career interests. As a mentor, her advice
is to "read the books, seek all the knowledge and advice
you can gather, then allow your gut to process it all and
tell you what to do."
NC State has a special place in Gordon's heart, and despite
a hectic business schedule, she remains actively involved
in serving the university on many fronts. Currently a member
of the NC State Board of Trustees, she has also served as
a member of both the College of Management Board of Directors
and the Alumni Association Board of Directors, where she was
a member of the Caldwell Scholarship Committee. At the request
of former Chancellor Larry Monteith, she served on the university
planning committee, worked for the Student Aid Association,
and served as a team captain for the Wolfpack Club's annual
drive. In 1999, Gordon was honored as the Distinguished Alumna
of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. She
provides volunteer leadership for the Campaign for NC State
Students through her involvement with the Mathematics Scholarship
Endowment Committee. Gordon has also been actively involved
with the Department of Computer Science, where she has been
a guest speaker at departmental functions and a strong supporter
of women in technology initiatives.
Suzanne lives in Cary, NC with her husband Ralph, also an
NC State graduate, and their two kids, Emily and Stuart. They
enjoy attending Wolfpack football and basketball games, water
skiing, and playing tennis.
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