Brian Knight, SQL Server MVP, MCSE, MCDBA, is the co - founder of SQLServerCentral.com and JumpstartTV.com. Brian is a Principal Consultant and owner of Pragmatic Works. He runs the local SQL Server users’ group in Jacksonville (JSSUG) and was on the Board of Directors of the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS). Brian is a contributing columnist for SQL Server Standard and also maintains a regular column for the database website SQLServerCentral.com and does regular webcasts at Jumpstart TV. He has authored nine SQL Server books during the past 10 years. Brian has spoken at conferences like PASS, SQL Connections, and TechEd, and many Code Camps. You can find his blog at http://www.pragmaticworks.com. Brian spends weekends practicing to be a professional cage fighter and practicing for next season's
American Idol.
Erik Veerman is a Mentor for Solid Quality Mentors focusing on training, mentoring, and architecting solutions on the SQL Server BI platform. His industry recognition includes Microsoft's Worldwide BI Solution of the Year and SQL Server Magazine's Innovator Cup winner. Erik has designed dozens of BI solutions across a broad business spectrum ― telecommunications, marketing, retail, commercial real estate, finance, supply chain, and information technology. His experience with high - volume multi - terabyte environments and SQL Server 64 - bit has enabled clients to scale their Microsoft - based BI solutions for optimal potential. As an expert in OLAP design, ETL processing, and dimensional modeling, Erik is a presenter, author, and instructor. He led the ETL architecture and design for the first production implementation of Integration Services (SSIS) and helped drive the ETL standards and best practices for SSIS on Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 reference initiative, Project REAL. Erik is also co - author of Professional SQL Server 2005 Integration Service and Expert SQL Server 2005 Integration Services, and lead author for the MS Press Training Kit SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence Implementation and Maintenance. As a resident of Atlanta, GA, Erik participates in the local Atlanta SQL Server User's Group, a PASS chapter.
Grant Dickinson is a Program Manager at Microsoft, focusing on designing technologies that enable customers and partners to create innovative and scalable Business Intelligence solutions. Grant has helped qualify, architect, and implement BI solutions across a broad range of industries, including a solution that was once one of the largest Microsoft - based data warehouses in the world. He has designed and provided expertise into product features across the Microsoft BI stack, including technologies in SSIS, SQL Server, and Office. Grant helped develop the Microsoft best - practices ETL reference implementation, Project REAL, and has spoken at conferences around the world. Grant is currently focused on data quality and stewardship in the Master Data Management space. Grant was born in Zimbabwe and spent much of his youth in Southern Africa. He gained a BSc Computer Science at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and today he lives in Seattle with his wife and family.
Douglas Hinson splits his time between database and software development for financial applications in the logistics and insurance industries. Douglas specializes in conceptualizing, reengineering, and developing back - end solutions that connect business operational and financial functions. As a result, he has an extensive background in SQL Server and financial applications, and fits in some technical writing on the side. He has coauthored several Wrox books, including SQL Server 2005 Performance Tuning, SQL Server 2005 CLR Programming, and the previous edition of this book, SQL Server 2005 Integration Services.
Darren Herbold, MCDBA, MCSE is a dedicated consultant who is passionate about delivering business value to his clients. A principal consultant at Pragmatic Works Consulting (www.PragmaticWorks.com) and a graduate from Florida State University, he has expertise in Business Intelligence, Database Administration, and .NET Software Development. His main focus is on the SQL Server stack, where he delivers training, mentoring, and develops Data Warehouse, ETL, and Reporting solutions for his clients. He has developed a robust .NET application development framework and a code - generation tool that saves clients an average of 30 to 40 percent off of development time. Darren has also created BI and software solutions for clients such as Microsoft, Post Properties, and the University of South Florida. Visit his blog at: http://pragmaticworks.com/community/blogs/.
