I’d like to introduce our class of IBM Champions for Power for 2025. This year we named 233 members of the Power community a Champion, many of which are returning from last year, but we are also thrilled to welcome many new Champions as well. These Champions have expertise and skills across the Power portfolio, including AIX, IBM i, Linux, SAP HANA, Oracle, cloud, hardware, software, AI, modernization, and more. The Champions are critical to the Power business and community, and I’d like to dedicate this blog to give a few examples of that.
First, a quick reminder of who the IBM Champions are and what they do. The Champions program recognizes the most passionate IBM technology experts around the world. They are non-IBMer clients, Business Partners, ISVs, consultants, academics, and more who influence the market by guiding buying decisions, inspiring innovation, shaping IBM product development, educating new generations of users, and deepening community growth. This year, more than 1,400 new and returning advocates were invited to become IBM Champions in 2025 based on their expertise, contributions, and thought leadership. Read the blog by IBM Champion Program Director Libby Ingrassia here for a more detailed overview of the program and the class of 2025.
It would take forever to point out every reason of why our Champions are essential to the Power business and community, but I will highlight a few examples for this blog. One huge example is leading user groups within the community. Champions for Power serve on the leadership boards for COMMON, Common Europe, the Large User Group (LUG), TCC (Technical Client Council), and countless other local and country-specific user groups around the world. These user group leaders dedicate their own personal time to organizing conferences and meet-ups that bring community members and professionals together to share knowledge and best practices about Power technologies. User groups are the heart and soul of the Power community, and the Champions program recognizes and thanks those who make user groups and their events possible.
Another way our Champions contribute to the Power business is by helping shape product strategy and innovation through participating in advisory councils, feedback workshops, and offering their time as sponsored users for new solutions. Champions for Power serve on the COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC), Common Europe Advisory Council (CEAC), ISV Advisory Council, Power sponsor user program, and various other councils and feedback groups. These groups give direct feedback and guidance to the Power product management and development teams that help shape our future portfolio roadmap and strategy. As an example, IBM Db2 Mirror for i was a direct result of feedback and guidance given from clients and Business Partners serving in the LUG. A more recent example was several Champions for Power served as sponsor users and participated in feedback sessions with the HMC (Hardware Management Console) design team to add automation to the tool.
How can you get involved and connect with the IBM Champions for Power? Bookmark the IBM Champions directory here, a key feature of our refreshed home page. See who is an IBM Champion in your geography, what skills they have, how they prefer to connect, and what sorts of advocacy activities they tend to best engage in. Reach out to them on social media or the IBM TechXchange community. The IBM Champions love connecting with other technology professionals, sharing their expertise, and answering questions. Also, make sure to look for them at an upcoming conference or event, such as POWERUp and at the IBM TechXchange 2025 in Orlando this October.
Do you know someone in your community who deserves to be an IBM Champion or even yourself? Start thinking about who to nominate as an IBM Champion in 2026 and keep an eye out for the nominations registration form that will open later this year. But you don't have to wait until fall! You can recognize individuals who help you with their content or volunteer work by submitting their name as an IBM Rising Champion all year. It only takes two contributions to earn the first level badge and get on the pathway to becoming an IBM Champion in the future.