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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!

Type: Conference Events clear filter
Sunday, April 26
 

5:00pm CDT

Student Session
Sunday April 26, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
This session is a welcome and introduction for students to help set expectations for POWERUp 2026. We will go over events not to miss, COMMON questions at conference, and provide ways to POWERUp your experience.
Speakers
avatar for Manzoor Siddiqui

Manzoor Siddiqui

Executive Director, COMMON
Manzoor Siddiqui is the Executive Director of COMMON. He oversees all Operations for the organization, and has responsibility and oversight of all areas and Staff. He joined COMMON in 2006, and has over 30 years of multi-disciplinary business, marketing and IT experience across a broad range of industri... Read More →
avatar for Pete Massiello

Pete Massiello

IBM i Advisor, Massiello Holding Corp.
Pete Massiello has been working with the AS/400, iSeries, IBM i since 1989, focusing on systems management and technical support. He has held numerous technical positions through out his career. He is the President of iTech Solutions Group, an IBM Premier Business Partner delivering... Read More →
avatar for Peter Kasper

Peter Kasper

Education Manager, COMMON, a users group
I'm the Education Manager at COMMON. I work on anything and everything to do with education; from our online offerings to our in-person educational events, and more!

If you see me on-site at a conference, say hello! Just be careful not to look away -- I may be gone when you look back... Read More →
avatar for Shelly Petty

Shelly Petty

Application Support, Profound Logic
I am a Full Stack Developer at Profound Logic. We run our production applications on the IBMi Power Server. Primary languages are CL, RPG, DB2 SQL and Java, and the UI: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Drupple, React, and Sencha.
My position is a fast paced job and it includes Help Desk pho... Read More →
avatar for Floyd Del Muro

Floyd Del Muro

Board President, COMMON

avatar for Donna Del Muro

Donna Del Muro

Community Outreach Manager, COMMON
Retired IBM i solution‑based sales professional with over 25 years in the IBM i ecosystem. My career spans sales, sales management, and project management across both hardware and software environments, helping organizations align technology with real business needs. I’m currently... Read More →
Sunday April 26, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Studio 9-10

6:30pm CDT

COMMON Kick-off
Sunday April 26, 2026 6:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
While there aren’t any sessions happeningon Sunday, we just can’t wait to connectwith you all again! Join us Sunday evening forour kick-off, there will be food, drinks, andplenty of company to get yourconference started off on the right foot. Grabyour badge from registration and join us inthe River-View Room!
Sunday April 26, 2026 6:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
River-View Room
 
Monday, April 27
 

8:00am CDT

Opening Session
Monday April 27, 2026 8:00am - 9:30am CDT

Speakers
avatar for Pete Massiello

Pete Massiello

IBM i Advisor, Massiello Holding Corp.
Pete Massiello has been working with the AS/400, iSeries, IBM i since 1989, focusing on systems management and technical support. He has held numerous technical positions through out his career. He is the President of iTech Solutions Group, an IBM Premier Business Partner delivering... Read More →
avatar for Steve Bradshaw

Steve Bradshaw

Friendly Techie, RowtonIT.com
My latest work as the Friendly Techie, includes assisting IBM i with the design and testing with IBM i 7.6 as both Beta Tester and Redbook Author, and as assistant in the design and testing of the new IBM i Migrate While Active tool and the AI based RPG Code Assistant.

I have worked in the IBM Business Partner world for over thirty years now and despite IBM's best attempts I still love them ;-) My career started as an RPG developer but for the last twenty years I have specialised in System Design, installation and management. In 2008 I founded my

... Read More →
avatar for Jack Woehr

Jack Woehr

Senior Engineer / Senior Consultant, Consulting to Procern Technology Solutions and Seiden Group LLC
40+ years development. IBM Champion 2021-2026.
IBM Qiskit Advocate since 2019. Secretary, OpenQASM Technical Steering Committee. MongoDB Creator status. Prolific Open Source creator/contributor. Former Contributing Editor, Dr. Dobb's Journal.
Consult on IBM i AI modernization... Read More →
avatar for Floyd Del Muro

Floyd Del Muro

Board President, COMMON

avatar for Hillery Hunter

Hillery Hunter

General Manager IBM Power, IBM
Hillery is the General Manager for IBM Power and serves as IBM Infrastructure CTO.  In this role, she is focused on setting the global strategy for both Power and Infrastructure Platform in addition to driving cross-functional innovation and growth across IBM's Infrastructure portfolio... Read More →
Monday April 27, 2026 8:00am - 9:30am CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

9:30am CDT

Coffee Break
Monday April 27, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am CDT

Monday April 27, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am CDT
Preservation Foyer

12:30pm CDT

Jeff Carey NOLA Session
Monday April 27, 2026 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Jeff Carey, who's been volunteering and speaking at COMMON for years, happily talks about his deep personal connection to COMMON and the contagious energy of New Orleans — plus he shares friendly, upbeat tips to help you make the most of every minute in this awesome city.
Speakers
avatar for Jeff Carey

Jeff Carey

Midrange Engineer III - IBM i, Lightedge
Jeff Carey is an IBM i professional with over 30 years of experience on the platform, specializing in system administration. He currently is a Midrange Engineer for Lightedge, a company providing managed services for IBM i, VMware, Nutanix, AIX, AWS and Azure. He is on the Board of... Read More →
Monday April 27, 2026 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Third Floor, near Mardi Gras Ballroom

1:15pm CDT

Keynote: IBM Bob - Your IBM i AI Development Partner
Monday April 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
IBM Bob is an AI-powered development partner for IBM i. Your IBM i runs everything. Bob helps you run faster. Bob accelerates initiatives that traditionally take months like converting fixed-format RPG to free-form, migrating DDS to SQL DDL, refactoring monolithic programs into modular services, and generating comprehensive documentation and tests.  Bob bridges the skills gap and ensures the long-term viability of IBM i investments through intelligent, incremental modernization that preserves decades of business logic. The next era of IBM i development starts now.
Speakers
avatar for Tim Rowe

Tim Rowe

STSM - IBM i Business Architect, IBM USA
Tim Rowe is a Senior Technical Staff Member within IBM i development and spends most of his time working as the Architect for Application Development and Systems Management. He has been working on the IBM i operating system since 1989. Tim is a frequent author, industry speaker and... Read More →
Monday April 27, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

2:15pm CDT

COMMON Problem Solving
Monday April 27, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Ready for problem-solving without the programming?Join us Monday for a laid-back, analog team challenge. Step away from the screens and work together to crack word puzzles and brain teasers. It’s a fun way to connect with the COMMON community while putting your teamwork skills to the test.
Monday April 27, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

5:40pm CDT

Partner Solution Corner inside Expo
Monday April 27, 2026 5:40pm - 7:55pm CDT
Get the most up to date tools to maximize your systems.  Vendor Partner experts will be presenting 15 min Solution Sessions during mid-day and evening expo hours.  The Partner Solutions Corner is across from booth 111 and the daily schedule will be in your daily morning email.  Get all of your questions answered by knowledge leaders in POWER.
Monday April 27, 2026 5:40pm - 7:55pm CDT
Partner Solution Corner in Grand Ballroom
 
Tuesday, April 28
 

9:00am CDT

Student Job Fair
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Don't miss the Student Job Fair if you are interested in hiring an intern, or your next colleague.

Over 40 students and educators are attending POWERUp 2026, many of whom are looking for employment opportunities, so don't miss out on your chance to meet with them and connect.

It will be set up in a Reverse Job Fair format, where each student will be assigned a table and potential employers can go from table-to-table and talk to each person.

If you are looking to connect with the next generation of IT talent, this is your chance to maximize your company's benefit of attending POWERUp 2026.
Speakers
avatar for Donna Del Muro

Donna Del Muro

Community Outreach Manager, COMMON
Retired IBM i solution‑based sales professional with over 25 years in the IBM i ecosystem. My career spans sales, sales management, and project management across both hardware and software environments, helping organizations align technology with real business needs. I’m currently... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

10:15am CDT

Coffee Break
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT

Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT
Grand Ballroom

11:45am CDT

Expo Open with Lunch
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:45am - 1:45pm CDT
We’re bringing a full pickleball court right to the Expo floor! The court will be available throughout the conference - even outside of official Expo hours. Whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, come rally with fellow attendees. Watch social media and your inbox for details on joining the tournament bracket and competing head-to-head!

Lunch will be served from 12PM-1PM.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:45am - 1:45pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

11:50am CDT

Partner Solution Corner inside Expo
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:50am - 1:45pm CDT
Get the most up to date tools to maximize your systems.  Vendor Partner experts will be presenting 15 min Solution Sessions during mid-day and evening expo hours.  The Partner Solutions Corner is across from booth 111 and the daily schedule will be in your daily morning email.  Get all of your questions answered by knowledge leaders in POWER.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:50am - 1:45pm CDT
Partner Solution Corner in Grand Ballroom

1:45pm CDT

Keynote: From Core to Catalyst: How IBM i Teams Can Lead the Next Wave of AI-Ready Modernization
Tuesday April 28, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
IBM i has been the backbone of enterprise stability, but shifting expectations now demand more. IT modernization has become a strategic priority, driving efficiency, innovation, and enhanced customer experiences. In the next two years, 25–30% of IT budgets will focus on AI readiness, cybersecurity, automation, and data optimization. For IBM i teams, this is both a challenge and an opportunity to turn barriers like legacy complexity and siloed data into catalysts for growth and innovation.


In this keynote, Rashmi Agrawal, VP of Engineering at Rocket Software, will reframe IBM i not as a legacy constraint but as a strategic advantage. With the right modernization roadmap—spanning applications, data, infrastructure, and security—IBM i teams can accelerate digital transformation, enable AI initiatives, and deliver measurable business outcomes that resonate with the C-suite.


In this session, you’ll discover:
  • How AI enhances human-driven decision-making in workload modernization. With 54% of enterprises expecting AI-assisted migration and optimization, IBM i teams can leverage AI to augment—not replace—human expertise.
  • Why modernization maturity drives business performance. Modernization leaders report significantly higher gains in efficiency, innovation, and customer satisfaction, proving the direct correlation between IT transformation and business success.
  • What RPG, COBOL, and CL developers need to prepare for. From data quality and integration to AI-augmented coding and secure-by-design practices, developers must evolve their skills to meet new demands. AI-assisted development, testing, and infrastructure readiness will be critical.
  • How technical leaders can overcome modernization blockers. Learn strategies to address data silos, compliance complexity, and talent gaps while preserving the resilience and reliability that make IBM i indispensable.
  • Join us to discover how to transform your IBM i environment into an AI-ready, modernization-driven foundation for the next decade of innovation.

Speakers
avatar for Jeroen van Dun

Jeroen van Dun

IBM Champion & Product Manager, Rocket Software
avatar for Rashmi Agrawal

Rashmi Agrawal

Vice President – Engineering, App Mod Vice President – Engineering, App Mod, Rocket Software
Rashmi is a highly accomplished Global R&D leader with 26 years of experience driving product innovation and execution at enterprise-grade companies like IBM, Dell/EMC, and Rocket Software. Her expertise spans a wide range of products, including datacenter, cloud, AI, storage, developer... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

2:45pm CDT

Coffee Break
Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT

Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

5:30pm CDT

All Attendee Reception in the Expo
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
We’re bringing a full pickleball court right to the Expo floor! The court will be available throughout the conference - even outside of official Expo hours. Whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, come rally with fellow attendees. Watch social media and your inbox for details on joining the tournament bracket and competing head-to-head!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

5:40pm CDT

Partner Solution Corner inside Expo
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:40pm - 7:55pm CDT
Get the most up to date tools to maximize your systems.  Vendor Partner experts will be presenting 15 min Solution Sessions during mid-day and evening expo hours.  The Partner Solutions Corner is across from booth 111 and the daily schedule will be in your daily morning email.  Get all of your questions answered by knowledge leaders in POWER.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:40pm - 7:55pm CDT
Partner Solution Corner in Grand Ballroom
 
Wednesday, April 29
 

10:15am CDT

Coffee Break
Wednesday April 29, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT

Wednesday April 29, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT
Grand Ballroom

11:45am CDT

Expo Open with Lunch
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:45am - 1:45pm CDT
We’re bringing a full pickleball court right to the Expo floor! The court will be available throughout the conference - even outside of official Expo hours. Whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, come rally with fellow attendees. Watch social media and your inbox for details on joining the tournament bracket and competing head-to-head!

Lunch will be served from 12PM-1PM.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:45am - 1:45pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

11:50am CDT

Partner Solution Corner inside Expo
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:50am - 1:45pm CDT
Get the most up to date tools to maximize your systems.  Vendor Partner experts will be presenting 15 min Solution Sessions during mid-day and evening expo hours.  The Partner Solutions Corner is across from booth 111 and the daily schedule will be in your daily morning email.  Get all of your questions answered by knowledge leaders in POWER.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:50am - 1:45pm CDT
Partner Solution Corner in Grand Ballroom

1:45pm CDT

Keynote: Agentic AI and IBM i
Wednesday April 29, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
IBM i has long been the backbone of mission-critical enterprise workloads, prized for its reliability, security, and integrated database. But as AI evolves beyond simple chat interfaces into autonomous, action-taking agents, the IBM i ecosystem stands at an inflection point. AI agents can now reason, plan, and execute multi-step tasks. Imagine the power when married to a platform with decades of business logic and operational knowledge!

This session explores the convergence of agentic AI and IBM i, covering the emerging architecture patterns that allow AI agents to interact directly with IBM i systems. Among other things, we will examine the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that gives AI agents a structured way to discover and invoke tools, query databases, and interact with system resources. Plus, we'll give a sneak peek of some exciting offerings that may be coming in the near future!
Speakers
avatar for Jesse Gorzinski

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 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

2:45pm CDT

Pups and Cups
Wednesday April 29, 2026 2:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
There’s no better way to recharge than with a fewfurry friends. We’re partnering with a local shelter to bring you our Pups & Cups event on Wednesday. Grab a coffee, take a break, and spend some time getting to know some adorable local pups. It’s the perfect mix of caffeine and canine connection.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 2:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Preservation Foyer

6:00pm CDT

Trivia Night
Wednesday April 29, 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm CDT
Staying in for the free night on Wednesday? Join usfor trivia! Gather a team and put your collectiveknowledge to the test as you compete forthe top spot.And don’t worry - we promise it’s not a quiz on yoursession notes.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom
 
Thursday, April 30
 

10:15am CDT

Coffee Break
Thursday April 30, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT

Thursday April 30, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT
Preservation Foyer

12:00pm CDT

Meeting of the Members
Thursday April 30, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm CDT

Thursday April 30, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm CDT
Studio 9-10

2:00pm CDT

Scavenger Hunt
Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Join the hunt on Thursday afternoon! COMMON is hosting another scavenger hunt this year. Find clues and do tasks all while exploring New Orleans. Create or join a team of 3-5 players and be the first to find all the clues and post your completed tasks!
Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Preservation Foyer near Registration Desk

2:30pm CDT

Coffee Break
Thursday April 30, 2026 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Preservation Foyer

6:00pm CDT

Closing Reception
Thursday April 30, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
We’re wrapping up POWERUp 2026 with a celebration at Generations Hall! Enjoy a night of live music with Amanda Shaw, delicious food, drinks, and a festive parade as we come together to celebrate our community and and incredible week of learning and connection.
Thursday April 30, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
Generations Hall 310 Andrew Higgins Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130
 

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