One week from today I will be in Seattle for my first ever PASS Summit. One of the things I have heard is what a great event this is for networking with other SQL Server people. I think I’ve been able to experience this in a small way at the three SQLSaturday’s I have attended in the last year, but I’m sure the Summit is different. Tom LaRock (@SQLRockstar) blogged about this back in May and listed some people he has met at the Summit and people he wants to meet this year. That’s what this post is, my list of people I want to meet and converse with at the Summit. Most of these people I have interacted with on-line via Twitter or SQLServerCentral, but have not met in person. The list would be longer, but I met a few who would have been on this list at SQLSaturday #21 – Orlando (Kevin Kline, Andy Leonard, Buck Woody, and Joe Webb) all of whom I look forward to spending more time with, but they don’t qualify for this list as this is for people I have not met in person yet.
Let’s start with the PASS Board of Directors both sitting and new members:
- Wayne Snider
- Rushabh Mehta
- Bill Graziano
- Greg Low
- Christoph Stotz
- Lynda Rab
- Rick Heiges
- Pat Wright
- Douglas McDowell
- Tom LaRock
- Rick Bolesta
- Neil Buchwalter
- Kevin Yam
- Kristina Kerr
- Jeremiah Peschka – Newly elected
- Brian Moran – Newly elected
Why this group? The board is the group that sets the direction for PASS and I am interested in where they think PASS should go and I have my own opinions on that as well. They are influencers and I’d like to try to influence them. I do have an in, as my friend Andy Warren is on the board and can introduce me. Hopefully they will all be at the pre-conference networking session with Don Gabor.
The next group comes from my peers at SQLServerCentral. SSC is, in my opinion, a true community and these folks have helped me to be a better SQL Server developer and DBA by being willing to answer questions on their time and sharing their experiences. I don’t even know if everyone on the list will be going to the Summit or if I am listing real or screen names in some cases, but I’ll list them anyway:
- Grant Fritchey
- Gail Shaw
- R. Barry Young
- Alvin Ramard
- Bob Hovious
- Paul White
- WayneS – obviously a screen name
- Lynn Pettis – I don’t think Lynn will be there this year, but if he is, I want to meet him.
- Jeff Moden
Then there is the SQL Server Twitter community, and I do mean community. I have received help and given help to people in the Twitter community and think it is a great way to begin a relationship, and has definitely made it less intimidating to attend the Summit because I feel like I already have lots of friends there. Again I don’t know if everyone I list will be there, but I hope they will be:
- Brent Ozar (@BrentO)
- Michelle Ufford (@SQLFool)
- Wendy Pastrick(@Wendy_Dance)
- Mike Walsh (@mike_walsh)
- Allen Kinsel (@sqlinsaneo)
- Mladen Prajdic (@mladenprajdic) – don’t know that he’ll be making the trip from Europe, but he definitely has earned a spot on this list.
- Paul Randal (@PaulRandal) – yeah, I know, he’s on everyone’s list. Maybe I can catch him for 5 minutes.
- Kimberly Tripp (@KimberlyLTripp)
- Linchi Shea (@linchi_shea)
- Marlon Rubinal (@MarlonRubinal)
- Robert Cain (@arcanecode)
- TJay Belt (@tjaybelt)
- Mark Wisecarver (@msftwise)
- Marc Beacom (@marcbeacom)
- Aaron Bertrand (@AaronBertrand)
- Jason Strate (@StrateSQL)
- Arlene Gray (@whimsql) – I just live her Twitter handle.
- Tim Ford (@sqlagentman) – another great Twitter handle.
- Eric Humphrey (@lotsahelp)
- Blythe Morrow (@blythemorrow)
I’m sure that I’ve left out someone I shouldn’t have, but this is a good starting point, and I hope all these people will be interested in meeting me.
This is definitely not an all-inclusive list. I want to meet as many people as I possible and still get together with the “old friends” from SQLSaturday’s as well. I’m sure it will be a busy, fun, and profitable week!
Hope to see you there. Next up I’ll post what I know of my schedule so on the off chance you want to meet me you’ll know where I plan to be.
