Influential Mainframers 2026
The People Behind the Platform
Meet the 2026 Influential Mainframers
Mainframe technology continues to evolve because of the dedicated professionals, educators, mentors, and innovators who drive it forward. This April, we’re celebrating them.
Welcome to the third annual Influential Mainframers campaign. We launched this initiative to recognize the people who inspire, lead, and support the global mainframe community. The caliber of nominees, the initiatives, and passion projects you share are incredible.
Now, we’re back with a new class of 2026 honorees.
Starting today and all month long, 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.
Check back daily as we reveal a new honoree. Read their stories, celebrate their impact, and be inspired.
Follow @Planet Mainframe and follow #pmfinfluentialmainframers to congratulate this year’s honorees, share your favorite stories, and spread the word.
Top Influential Mainframers of 2026
Shelly J. Meierarend, PMP
IBM Z and LinuxONE Client and Academic Global Skills Leader
IBM Z Ecosystem – Infrastructure
IBM
Buford, Georgia, United States
Influential Mainframers of 2026

Anshul Agrawal

Niall Ashley

Saurabh Banerjee
Senior Manager, Mainframe
Innovation and Engineering
Ensono
Pune Division, Maharashtra, India

Scott Brod

Pasquale “PJ” Catalano

Scott Chapman
Chief Information Officer, Director of Software Design and Development
Enterprise Performance Strategies, Inc.
Galena, Ohio, United States

Richelle Anne Craw

Geoffrey Decker
Instructor, Northern Illinois University
Co-Founder and Lead Instructor, Eli Madison Memorial Apprenticeships (EMMA)
DeKalb, Illinois, USA

Ezriel Gross
Senior Technical Staff Member and Product Evangelist
Rocket Software
Wayne, New Jersey, USA

Kev Milne

Sujit Neb

Paolo Enrique Garcia Ramos

Amit Sharma
Senior IBM i Developer at Programmers.io
Content Creator – Tech Sharmit (YouTube)
Jaipur, India



