COLLABORATE 10: Users Rule!

The COLLABORATE10 has come to close and it is time to reflect on the week that was and how the user grow has and will grow in the future.

It is great to be part of a user community where people and ideas come together to improve how we all do our jobs on a daily basis. The personal and professional learning's which we all have the opportunity to acquire during the week is so significant. The relationship we build. The elite people of our profession who educate us. The COLLABORATE event is like no other.

Our meeting in Las Vegas ended yesterday and I have had some time to reflect on it and how the IOUG has once again succeeded. For all those attended in-person and on-line the value is obvious. What is not obvious. There is a team of volunteers and staff who hard for most of the year to deliver a total program that is second to none.

The IOUG Board of Directors helps to guide the community and support a program of education 365-days-a-year, but the week of the COLLABORATE is the concentration and distillation of the entire year. The Board which includes Andy Flower, our incoming IOUG President, and Judi Doolittle, who has helped the IOUG launch or new and improved web site, Jon Wolfe, our Education director who delivered another superior educational event, Todd Sheetz, who has grown the SIGs and RUGs at a unprecedented level, Steve Lemme, who helps guide the vision for the group and adds a special perspective, John Matelski, our Director of new technologies is working to bridge Oracle and the new communities, Michelle Malcher, who has helped developed a new membership program which you will see in the coming weeks and months and of course Kent Hinkley who makes sure we are fiscally responsible. The Board together helps to steer the user community based on what we need. Of course the conference committee and all of the various volunteers and staff, made it a year to remember.

If you didn’t get a chance to attend the make sure you start planning now to be part of COLLABORATE11 in Orlando, FL on April 10-15, 2011…..if you are serious about your Oracle job then get off your chair and get ready to get to Oracle for a quantum leap in your professional development.