With a career that began at IBM—where he helped design and develop cornerstone technologies like Workload Manager (WLM) and Resource Measurement Facility (RMF)—Peter Enrico has spent more than 40 years advancing the art and science of z/OS performance.
Peter Enrico
President, Enterprise Performance Strategies, Inc.
Florida, USA
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During his time at IBM, Peter worked as a field tester for new MVS releases, served on the original WLM algorithm team, and was lead performance analyst for MVS/ESA Version 5.2. His deep technical experience includes not only core operating system internals, but also J2EE, WebSphere Application Server, UNIX System Services, Parallel Sysplex, and distributed architectures.
After IBM, Peter joined Cheryl Watson’s Tuning Letter as a contributing author and editor, co-developing Cheryl’s advanced performance courses before founding Enterprise Performance Strategies, Inc. (EPS) in 2000. As president of EPS, Peter combined decades of technical insight into hands-on consulting, virtual and in-person education, and the creation of Pivotor®, a z/OS performance reporting software service co-developed with Scott Chapman.
Through EPS, Peter has helped hundreds of mainframe shops analyze and improve performance, reduce MSU usage, and gain clarity from complex SMF data. His z/OS Health Checks®, tailored client workshops, and ongoing public education initiatives have earned a devoted following among both new and seasoned professionals.
A sought-after speaker, Peter has delivered technical sessions at SHARE, CMG, GSE UK, IBM zSeries Expo, and international conferences for over 25 years. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Marist College, where he developed and teaches “Performance Fundamentals.”
Peter’s teaching style—rigorous, engaging, and always approachable—has earned him numerous honors, including CMG’s 2014 Mullen Award, multiple SHARE Best Presentation Awards, and SHARE’s Distinguished Speaker Award.
His commitment to accessible education is evident in his growing library of virtual resources: free webinars, detailed articles, and his YouTube series, The Mainframe Performance Channel. He actively encourages students and early-career mainframers to learn broadly while never forgetting the critical role z/OS performance plays in the health of enterprise IT.
“While AI will change the day-to-day z/OS performance management tasks, actual intelligence will be more necessary than ever,” Peter says.
From WLM policy tuning to demystifying SMF 72 reports, Peter Enrico continues to be one of the most respected voices in mainframe performance—doing the work, teaching others how, and raising the bar for the industry.
Influential Mainframer
Mainframe technology continues to evolve because of the dedicated professionals, educators, mentors, and innovators who drive it forward. We’re shining a spotlight on the individuals who are making waves—whether they’re advancing technology, mentoring new talent, sharing knowledge, championing modernization, or quietly keeping mission-critical systems running every day. These are the people shaping the future of mainframe. They come from all backgrounds and experience levels, but they all have one thing in common: they’re making a difference.
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