This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community. The field benefits from their efforts in making the mainframe what it is today and working towards the mainframe of tomorrow.
Today we showcase a shining star of the industry, someone working to attract and inspire the next generation of mainframers.
Steven Perva
Mainframe Innovation Engineer, Ensono
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Steven Perva is a mainframe professional and lifelong technologist in Chicago, Illinois. He began working in mainframe technology in 2010, and distributed technology since 2005.
An IBM Champion for IBM Z, Steven presented globally at major industry conferences such as SHARE, IBM z16 Day, GSE UK, Dell Technologies World, IBM TechXchange, and IBM’s TechU. His topics of expertise include cross-generational collaboration in mainframe technology and mainframe modernization topics.
Steven credits many familiar faces when asked who his most significant influences have been.
“I’ve always considered myself to be stood on the shoulders of giants in the industry who’ve paved the way for individuals like myself to forge an identity,” he said.”I’m inspired by mainframe visionaries like Mike Fontanetta and Frank DeGilio who follow an innovative north star for where the mainframe should be. I aspire to be like technical legends like Ray Mullins, Lionel Dyck, Henri Kuiper, and Joe Winchester – among others.
I remain humbled by mainframe historians like Reg Harbeck who seem to know more about a cross-section of mainframe history than I ever will. Finally, I’m consistently inspired by up-and-coming luminaries like Niall Ashley and Emma Skovgård who drive the platform’s future.”
When not working as a Mainframe Innovation Engineer at Ensono, he creates communities and promotes modern mainframe culture through Seven9s, his mainframe culture banner. He also produces educational content and entertainment and founded the System Z Enthusiasts Discord community.