SHARE members descended on Kansas City, Missouri, and brought with them the education and expertise they are known for — putting the tech in one of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s most recently named tech hubs. From hands-on labs to roadshows, attendees had a plethora of networking and education opportunities available at SHARE Kansas City (Aug. 4-8).
The Crêpe Connection and Sharing Expertise
The kick-off reception in Kansas City brought a little bit of the Parisian spirit in honor of the Olympic Games with a crêpe bar, and many attendees loved the lunch-and-learn sessions. Crêpes weren’t the only goodies in town. Mark Wilson, technical director of Vertali, says, “Being from the United Kingdom, southern-style BBQ is not something I’m that familiar with. But, boy, did I rectify that.” He adds, “I had heard about the BBQ in Kansas City, especially the burnt ends. What was that all about? To say it was delicious, doesn’t do it justice. It was delivered with such passion and energy, especially when the servers realized I’d never had it before.”
With full bellies and eager minds, mainframers were fired up to connect with one another in Kansas City. The Women in IT and Veterans in IT events brought together groups to talk about opportunities, to share best practices, and to network with one another. The Veterans in IT group also met with SHARE Kansas City keynote speaker and former Navy Seal, Dan O’Shea.
First informal re:ipl meetup
Not all networking happens during the sessions, in the hallways, or at the Tech Expo. Some mainframers gathered for the first in-person re:ipl meetup at SPARK Kansas City, which was held in partnership with the group System Z Enthusiasts Discord. During the informal gathering, mainframers gathered to hear from fellow enthusiasts, discussed mainframe topics, and watched a breakout session on Discord.
Even mainframers’ furry companions are networking. Ray Mullins, IBM Champion for Z at Broadcom, says, “I had a great time in Kansas City. It's always great to see old friends and make new ones. There were so many great presentations, but the event highlight for me was when my Golden Retrievers made an appearance in Frank Kyne's Watson & Walker zRoadshow presentation. They’re pen pals with Kyne’s Golden Retriever, Milo, after all.”
Frank Kyne’s “apprentice technical assistant,” his Golden Retriever Milo
Milo's pen pals: Mullins’ Golden Retrievers Jack, Daisy, and Poppy
Other SHARE Kansas City Highlights
The Lego model of the IBM z16 brought out the childlike imagination in attendees. Another big highlight was when Tom Ross, Captain COBOL from IBM, showed up in a superhero cape, reminding SHARE members that there’s a little bit of heroism (and fun) in everything mainframers do to keep businesses running.
IBM’s Captain COBOL Tom Ross
Wilson adds, “SHARE Kansas City had a wide-ranging program, including sessions on DevOps, AIOps, security, and mainframe modernization. I attended live sessions and roundtables, where I learned plenty and took away many things to follow up on. I also took part in the first Tech Field Day at SHARE with sessions from Pop Up Mainframe, BMC, and Broadcom, which was a great experience, and all three teams did a great job explaining their technology and plans.”
From technical sessions on Zowe, artificial intelligence, and so much more, SHARE attendees found a lot to talk about. They also took back to their mainframe shops a wide range of tips and tricks to make their work smoother. Don’t miss out on the education, networking, and fun in the nation’s capital Feb. 23-27, 2025.
If you attended SHARE Kansas City, capture the alumni rate for SHARE Washington, D.C., now through Sept. 30, 2024. Submit your proposed presentation for SHARE DC by Sept. 12, 2024.
Serena Agusto-Cox has more than 20 years of editorial experience and six years of experience writing about mainframe and information technology. She interviews and crafts forward-looking and engaging technical updates related to the mainframe ecosystem, highlights the experiences of thought-leaders in the community, and shares important updates to technical education and training.