RPG & DB2 Summit Picks Tipton for Keynote

February 20, 2012 Dan Burger

System i Developer, the education and training firm that stages the twice yearly RPG & DB2 Summits, has selected Robert Tipton as the keynote speaker for the upcoming Summit scheduled for March 26 through 28 in Fort Worth, Texas. Tipton–a consultant, educator, and author–will discuss bringing innovation into business operations.

Tipton is a seasoned veteran of the IBM i community, with involvement dating to the AS/400 days. He knows the territory well, which gives his message–a mixture of attitude adjustment, performance enhancement, and taking joy in what you do–added relevance. His style is highly motivational and his advice relies heavily on individuals making preparations to succeed.

Every person, he believes, has the ability to instigate innovative change that affects both personal and professional growth. As he explains it, innovation is the result of a process. And like other processes you are familiar with–like coding, for example–there are tools and concepts that can be learned. The process applies to individual achievement, as well as to managing a staff and creating an environment conducive to innovation.

“You have choices,” Tipton told me in an interview several years ago. “You can continue to do what you have always done and fight it out, or look to be innovative and keep your edge. Innovation is important no matter what you are doing–whether you are an RPG programmer or President of the United States.”

During his keynote address, Tipton intends to focus more out of why the tools for creating innovation are important for developers and what they can get out of using them. Afterward, he will remain on hand for one-on-one discussions and to sign copies of his book, “JUMP! — Get Unstuck.” Each Summit attendee will receive a free copy of the book.

Jon Paris, one of the System i Developer partners, believes Tipton’s insights fit in well with the conference. “Most of us need help to become an agent of change,” Paris said. “That’s why I was so thrilled that we were able to persuade Bob to join us at the Summit. He is an inspiring speaker and his background in the IBM i marketplace means that he understands our specific challenges.”

Roxanne Reynolds-Lair, the innovative CIO at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and winner of multiple IBM Innovation Awards, was the keynote speaker at the last Summit.

The RPG & DB2 Summit will be held at the Sheraton Fort Worth. In addition to the three-day technical conference running Monday through Wednesday, there are separate single-day seminars scheduled on Sunday. Session schedules, a roster of speakers, and registration information can be accessed online at the RPG & DB2 Summit website.