IBM Z Customer Council – Hartford, Connecticut
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July 23, 2026
11:00 AM EDT - 4:00 PM EDT
We are here for you!
Reconnect with IBM Z experts in Hartford – our first local event since 2019
We’re excited to return to Hartford for the first time since 2019, and we’re coming back with a full afternoon of informative discussions around the innovations across the IBM Z platform.
Join us for an in‑person event designed for technical leaders, architects, and practitioners who want to stay current on what’s new in z/OS, skills enablement initiatives, resiliency, and AI‑driven modernization. This session brings together IBM experts and partners to share practical guidance, real‑world use cases, and what’s next for the mainframe ecosystem.
Whether you’re focused on advocating for the platform, addressing the skills gap, strengthening cyber resiliency, or accelerating development with AI, this event offers actionable content and direct access to experts, all in a collaborative, local setting.
AGENDA
*Event takes place in the Eastern Standard Time Zone
| 11:00 AM | Arrival |
| 11:15 AM | Opening Remarks Daniel Mikhail (IBM) – Northeast IBM Z Council Co-Lead Isabella Reyes (IBM) – Northeast IBM Z Council Co-Lead |
| 11:25 AM | The Road to Modernization: Adoption & Support Isabella Reyes (IBM) – Worldwide Solution Architect, Technology Expert LabsMainframe modernization is not a single path. It spans many initiatives, moves at different speeds, and may already be underway in your organization. If you are running IBM Z, you are already on one of today’s most modern platforms for business-critical workloads. Join us to explore what modernization can look like and how our team and Business Partners can help. |
| 11:55 AM | Lunch |
| 12:35 PM | The Latest and Greatest of z/OS: What’s new in z/OS 3.2? Steve Warren (IBM WSC) – STSM & Principal Z Solution ArchitectThe latest and greatest z/OS release is available! Learn the highlights of z/OS 3.2 new functions and what advantages they can provide to your enterprise. Selected z/OS 3.2 functions are also available as Continuous Delivery enhancements. Even if you won’t be moving to z/OS 3.2 in the near future, this session will be valuable to understand what new functions you might have available for you to use sooner. |
| 01:50 PM | Break |
| 02:00 PM | Resiliency Across the Stack Joshua Stiles (21CS) – Product Manager for 21CSResiliency on IBM Z spans the full stack, from system software and configuration libraries, to non-database batch data, to where recovery copies are stored off-platform. Hardening the platform means controlling change at the configuration layer, ensuring backup integrity and surgical recoverability at the data layer, and extending protected copies safely off-platform so recovery is possible even in the worst case. We’ll walk through solutions from IBM and 21CS that support each of these fronts, frame what modern resiliency demands of today’s mainframe environments, and highlight where the most common gaps sit in current defenses. Bring your toughest resiliency questions and we’ll dig into them together. |
| 03:00 PM | Infusing AI to Accelerate Mainframe Development Kirk Chadrick (IBM) – WW Leader – IBM Z DevX & Application ModernizationThis presentation will focus on how AI can accelerate mainframe development by helping teams understand legacy code, generate documentation and tests, and speed up refactoring and modernization while preserving the reliability of existing systems |
| 04:00 PM | Closing Remarks & Departure |
Many thanks to 21CS, Pellera, and VirtualZ Computing for supporting this event.
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For more information, contact your IBM representative or Isabella Reyes at [email protected].
| * NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED ENTITIES At this IBM function, IBM is providing breakfast, lunch, and/or promotional items and considers this a normal business courtesy. U.S. Federal government regulations and some state or local government agencies do not permit their employees to accept food or refreshments from contractors doing business with them. IBM provides this notice to assist you in ensuring that your acceptance of the amenities is in compliance with your employer’s internal policies. If your receipt of the amenities during your attendance and participation in the event presents an issue, please advise IBM, and plan for alternate meal options. |
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