JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
A Mission and Installation Contracting Command senior procurement analyst began studies Sept. 23 at the University of Maryland Global Campus Graduate Certificate Foundations of Business Analytics Program following her selection by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement.
Veronica Limon serves on the business intelligence team in the MICC Contracting Operations Directorate’s Training, Analytics and Functional Support Division at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
“I am honored and feel lucky to be able to participate in this educational opportunity. I have so much to learn, and I hope to share the knowledge I gain with my co-workers and to employ it in support of future Army initiatives,” Limon said, adding that work on the business intelligence team has allowed her the opportunity to learn and grow as an analyst.
“I've been lucky to work alongside great people who have always been willing to share their knowledge with me,” she said. “A significant portion of my job as part of the business intelligence team involves performing workload analysis by utilizing system information, synthesizing and analyzing data to develop relevant information and recommendations for management and leadership's decision making.”
The online program allows Limon the opportunity to further advance her analytic skills in support of the multiple initiatives across the Army acquisition enterprise.
Her recent efforts at the MICC have included workload analysis support to the Installation Management Command Contract Review Board process as well as analyses and data-driven recommendations in support of MICC strategic initiatives in support Army Materiel Command readiness priorities, Army Contracting Command transformation efforts, and category management objectives.
Limon, who considers San Antonio home, possesses a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science both in accounting from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
She said the certificate program will provide her the appropriate foundational business analytic skills and exposure to the latest business analysis technologies while also expanding her knowledge on predictive analytics methodologies, all of which serve to increase her confidence in providing the MICC and Army with proficient data-driven recommendations.
The University of Maryland Global Campus program combines study in technical and business disciplines to develop powerful data analysts following the successful completion of the 12 semester hours of credit as well as strengthen career potential. Following the orientation now underway, Limon will also complete six credits each in decision management systems and data management and visualization over the next year.
As part of this coursework, program officials anticipate students learning how to transform big data into actionable insights using advanced analytics software; manage data analytics projects, present findings, and make strategic recommendations to organizational leadership; evaluate modeling approaches for data analysis and predictive analysis; design and deploy databases and dimensional models; apply advanced data warehousing and data mining methods, and manage infrastructure systems to ensure the quality, security and privacy of data.
John Campos, the business intelligence team lead, said that upon completion of her advanced studies in business analytics, Limon will be poised to close the MICC Headquarters gap with predictive analytics.
“While she has expanded her knowledge of analytics through self-study, Ms. Limon’s skills and abilities will be greatly enhanced by learning predictive analytics in a classroom environment to maximize her understanding and application of this complex field,” Campos said. “She will be better able to optimize the current MICC internal resource model, perform predictive contracting workload analysis and provide analytical solutions and more accurate data-driven strategic recommendations to MICC leadership.”
He added that Limon also plans to share her newfound knowledge with colleagues, thus amplifying the benefits of the University of Maryland program.