COMMON POWERUp 2026: Full Schedule

Unlock the Power of IBM i at POWERUp 2026!

Join us in New Orleans, Louisiana for POWERUp 2026, the premier conference for IBM i professionals. Whether you’re an experienced expert or just starting your IBM i journey, this event offers unparalleled education, hands-on workshops, and valuable networking opportunities. Stay ahead of the curve with insights from industry leaders, explore the latest innovations, and connect with a thriving community that shares your passion for IBM i. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, grow your skills, and power up your career!

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8:00am CDT

SQL Services for the Developer

Wednesday April 29, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

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Evaluation Survey

IBM i offers a wide array of SQL services to allow programmers to interact with database and system resources. In today’s modern SQL world, SQL can replace coding to many APIs, all while being more flexible and easier to use. This session will cover a wide variety of powerful SQL services, including how to view and manage data areas and data queues, an example of interacting with IFS files, running CL commands from SQL, and much more.

Learning Objectives:

`- Learn how to manage data queues and data areas with SQL - Learn to read/write from IFS files with SQL - Learn strategies for debugging SQL procedures and functions - Learn how to develop more efficiently with the help of SQL services (SPLIT, SEND_EMAIL, SPOOLED_FILE_DATA, QCMDEXC, RELATED_OBJECTS)

Speakers

Ryan Moeller

Software Engineer, IBM

Ryan Moeller is a software engineer working on Db2 for i, specifically on the SQL Query Engine (SQE) team. He joined the team in the Rochester, MN development lab in 2020. Ryan specializes in SQL, database development, and query performance analysis.

Wednesday April 29, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
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General Programming, Database

9:15am CDT

Agentic AI: Let's Design the Future

Wednesday April 29, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

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Evaluation Survey

The IBM i team wants to try something with the participants of POWERUp. We have a chance, at this conference, to collaborate with you on the kinds of things you'd like to see IBM i accomplish with AI in the future. Come to this session to participate as we use collaboration and design concepts to dream about what IBM i might do in the future.

Speakers

Steve Will

IBM i CTO & Chief Architect, IBM

Kris Whitney

IBM

Kris Whitney is a Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM Rochester. He is currently the IBM i Chief Engineer

Adam Shedivy

Software Developer, IBM

Adam is a software Developer working on Agentic AI solutions for IBM i

Brandon Pederson

IBM i and Power Product Marketing Manager, IBM

Brandon Pederson is the Product Marketing Manager for IBM i and Modernization within the IBM Power business. Prior to this role, Brandon was Content Marketing Manager for IBM WebSphere and Content and Community Manager for IBM Power. He has a degree in Marketing from Concordia Uni... Read More →

Jesse Gorzinski

STSM and Senior Business Architect - AI and Open Source, IBM

Experienced business architect from IBM and a specialist in the IBM i platform. My passion is enabling enterprises to adopt artificial intelligence and open source technologies.

Wednesday April 29, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
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NDA, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

10:45am CDT

Embracing Change - A Customer's Journey From Legacy to WOW!

Wednesday April 29, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

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We’ve all heard the saying: Don’t be afraid of change - be afraid of not changing. But let’s be honest - change is hard. Whether it’s outdated technology, entrenched processes, or resistance from within, modernization can feel like an uphill battle. Does it frustrate you when your applications are labeled legacy? You're not alone. This session is a real-world case study of how one retailer navigated the journey to modern application development using IBM technologies, including Power, IBM i, Ansible, and more. Along the way, they didn’t just modernize their apps—they transformed how IT is perceived within the company. IT is in a prime position to drive meaningful change. But how do you start? How do you overcome resistance and build excitement? In this session, you’ll learn practical strategies to shift mindsets, gain leadership buy-in, and turn legacy into WOW!

Learning Objectives:

`- The key differences between modernization and modern application development—and why it matters. - Proven strategies to lead people through change and turn skeptics into champions. - How to demonstrate the business value of IT and secure executive buy-in. - Lessons from a company that successfully transitioned to modern application development—and its approach to IT.

Speakers

Steven Wolk

CTO, PC Richard & Son

Steven Wolk is the CTO for PC Richard & Son. Founded in 1909, PC Richard is a family owned and operated chain of over 65 appliance, electronics, and mattress superstores located throughout NY, NJ, CT, and PA. Steve's deep background in retail began on the sales floor while in college... Read More →

Wednesday April 29, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
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IT Strategy, IT Leadership & Management

3:45pm CDT

IBM Power11 for IBM i P05 Clients

Wednesday April 29, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT

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Evaluation Survey

The next generation of IBM Power11 processor-based servers are bringing new capabilities to entry-level environments, helping smaller and mid-sized organizations run mission-critical applications and workloads while preparing for emerging AI-driven use cases. In this confidential session, attendees will receive an early look at the upcoming Power11 entry-class servers designed for IBM i P05 clients. We will explore how these next-generation systems are designed to deliver enterprise-grade performance, integrated security, and modern infrastructure capabilities in a compact and cost-effective form factor. The session will also highlight new features such as integrated AI acceleration, scalable memory, high-speed networking, and hybrid cloud readiness. Because this session includes forward-looking product information, attendance will require signing a non-disclosure agreement prior to entry.

Speakers

Todd Boyd

STSM, IBM Power Product Mgmt., IBM Corporation

Brandon Pederson

IBM i and Power Product Marketing Manager, IBM

Jesse Gorzinski

STSM and Senior Business Architect - AI and Open Source, IBM

Experienced business architect from IBM and a specialist in the IBM i platform. My passion is enabling enterprises to adopt artificial intelligence and open source technologies.

Lisa Stampe

Leader of Power Support Product Management, IBM

Fiona Tang

Power Product Manager, IBM

Wednesday April 29, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
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NDA

5:00pm CDT

Powering What’s Next: The Evolution of Power11 Scale‑Out Systems

Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

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Evaluation Survey

The Power11 scale‑out family brings a new level of performance and efficiency to IBM i environments, and this session will walk through what makes the latest systems a major step forward. We’ll highlight key hardware enhancements, expanded capabilities, and the performance improvements that matter most for real IBM i workloads. Attendees will get an inside look at how Power11 SCO systems support modernization, resiliency, and future‑ready growth. Whether you're planning your next upgrade or just curious about what Power11 brings to the IBM i community, this session will give you a clear, practical overview of what’s new and why it matters.

Speakers

Todd Boyd

STSM, IBM Power Product Mgmt., IBM Corporation

Fiona Tang

Power Product Manager, IBM

Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
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Hardware

8:00am CDT

9:15am CDT

10:45am CDT

3:45pm CDT

5:00pm CDT

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