Microsoft MVP Award, and a big loss in the Dynamics GP World.

Got the good news yesterday that I was re-awarded as a Microsoft MVP for 2014, 4th year in a row. 

Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2014 Microsoft® MVP Award! This award is given to exceptional technical community leaders who actively share their high quality, real world expertise with others. We appreciate your outstanding contributions in Dynamics GP technical communities during the past year.

This is something I cherish a lot, most importantly, because I get to be part of a great group of incredible MVPs.   I also really value getting to work with Microsoft closely on what’s coming next.

At the same moment also got some very sad news – a Superstar in the Microsoft Dynamics GP world – Richard Whaley passed away yesterday. An author of over 10 books, a kind and helpful person, he will be sorely missed.

• Microsoft Dynamics GP community remembers Richard Whaley as educator, MVP
• Leslie who made a special trip to meet Richard last week has written here - Richard Whaley has passed away; 7/1/51- 7/1/2014

12 Free Technology Sessions by MVPs in Sydney (Saturday, 22 Mar)

Microsoft has organized MVP Community Camp – which includes 12 sessions delivered in person at the Sydney office on Mar 22. I am presenting a session showcasing how easy it is to “Setup Dynamics GP on Azure in 50 minutes”.

Additional sessions include sessions by

• Erdal Ozkaya on Windows 8.1 and social media security
• Andel Hernandez on C++ REST SDK
• Leon Tribe on Dynamics CRM
• Robert Crane on Getting started with Office 365
• Mark O’Shea on Windows 8.1 for an office 365 world

See the complete list below.

To register to for the Sydney event : https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032578429&Culture=en-AU&community=0

There are also live webcasts for people who can’t attend in person.

To read more about the MVP ComCamp : 9 Countries, 24 Cities, 17 MVP Presenters - MVP ComCamp

Sydney - March 22, Saturday @ MS Sydney Office Sessions

John Lowther–new Dynamics GP MVP

Congratulations to John Lowther on becoming the latest Dynamics GP MVP!

John has been very active in the community over the last few years – and a great help pushing the limits when it comes to Dynamics GP -

Microsoft Dynamics GP DBA (Blog)
Accidental Administrator (Blog)
GPUG Member Tidbits (Blog)
Microsoft Dynamics GP "Ask The Community Website" (Post)

Re-awarded Microsoft MVP

Last week I was re-awarded with the Microsoft MVP award for 2012. It’s a great honour, and once again thank you to David Musgrave, Belinda Allen, Mark, Mariano for leading the way. Also thank you to Jay Manley, Pam, Chad and Errol in the GP Product management team– for all their help and support.

There are a lot of things to look back at in the last year -

• Kinect with Business Analyzer
• Lync with Business Analyzer on Win Tablet
• Updates to www.GPWindow.com 
• Convergence Workshop Demo
• Everything Dynamics GP series – I really enjoyed doing this, though taking a break after about 50 posts.  How do people like Mark and David do this day after day? I am beginning to doubt if they ever sleep.
• Sessions at Decisions
• Playing Kubb with David Musgrave!

Many things to look forward to in the coming months -

• A Dynamics GP Book, and a Video course I recently reviewed (Quality stuff, soon to be released)
• A community initiative Belinda Allen is planning (And getting to meet her on the MVP Meets)
• A small GP Product  (think Microsoft Surface/iPad and GP)
• Playing around with the awesome GP 2013 Web Client
• DW/BI with Microsoft Dynamics GP – a series of posts
• An awesome project I am working on with Mark Polino

I am also hoping to attend either the Tech Airlift or the MVP summit in the coming year.

Lets see how all that pans out!

My dad remembered I got awarded on July 1 last year, and called me the same day this year to ask if I got the award. He had been checking the Microsoft MVP award website. So it was very satisfying telling him the next day that I did, and how happy it made him!