I’ve been in the information technology industry for the last 20 years; all 20 years at IBM. I started as a software tester writing automated test cases for verifying quality of the systems IBM was developing for the US federal government and some large airlines. A bit later I switched to application development first building mainframe applications that automated key business processes and later tools and utilities for configuring complex SNA and TCP/IP communication networks. I also spent some time working on plant floor automation products that IBM was bringing to the market. During this time I gained experience in mainframe technologies. I also spent significant time working with UNIX, OS/2 and Windows systems and programming in C. I joined DB2 development organization in late 1993 and this is where I am working now. I’ve held a variety of positions including developer, Development Manager, Product Planner, Manager of Product Management and most recently as Program Director in the DB2 Competitive Technologies area.I am passionate about database connectivity and, especially, database application development. I like to share my passion by presenting at user groups and industry conferences around the world as well as authoring numerous articles and papers.