GT Software, a mainframe modernization software company, announces today that Dusty Rivers, the company’s Director of z Systems Software: IMS & CICS, has been selected to win the very first IBM Champions Lifetime Achievement Award for Z. For the past 11 years IBM recognized Rivers as a Champion and in 2019 he received the IBM Champion Milestone badge in honor of his many years of influence and achievement within the community.
“We could not be prouder of Dusty and this type of industry recognition,” says Stephen Hassett, president of GT Software. “While he’s been with the company for more than 16 years in several capacities, Dusty is responsible for ensuring our products are well aligned with the Z Systems community. We truly appreciate his dedication to the broader technology community, ongoing commitment to the IBM Champion program and his continued enthusiasm for keeping the mainframe relevant with modern solutions.”
The IBM Champions Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an IBM Champion who stands above their peers by consistently excelling and positively impacting their community. They lead by example, are passionate about sharing knowledge and provide constructive feedback to IBM.
The IBM Champion program recognizes innovative thought leaders in the technical community and rewards their contributions by amplifying their voice and increasing their sphere of influence. IBM Champions are enthusiasts and advocates: IT professionals, business leaders, developers, executives, educators, and influencers who support and mentor others to help them get the most out of IBM software, solutions, and services. IBM Champions demonstrate both expertise in and extraordinary support and advocacy for IBM technology, communities, and solutions. IBM Z joined the program three years ago.
Rivers spent more than a decade advocating for the mainframe platform within the IBM Champion program among many other user groups and communities. As director of z systems at GT Software, Rivers works with global companies to API-enable their legacy systems and connect them to modern technologies. He saw the launch of Ivory Service Architect, GT Software’s no-code integration platform, and for nearly two decades has played an important role its product development. Rivers is also an active member in the broader Z Community. As a project manager for SHARE, he enjoys being involved with the community, track planning and was even awarded the Best of the Best for his session on APIs this past year. Rivers is also active in mentoring the New to Z community, a panelist for many TechU sessions and a passionate IMS user and advocate.
“Dusty is the epitome of the IBM Champion program and all it aspires to be. I am so happy and proud to announce Dusty as our first Lifetime IBM Champion for Z,” said Meredith Stowell, Vice President, Z Ecosystem of IBM. “Please join me in thanking, Dusty, for all he does for the IBM Champion community as well as the IBM Z platform.”
About GT Software
GT Software empowers many of the world’s largest banks—such as Truist, JP Morgan Chase, and Natixis—to accelerate their IT modernization efforts. By enabling companies to connect legacy mainframe assets with modern, cloud-based systems, GT removes a major roadblock for Fortune 1000 companies looking to elevate their customer experience. Pioneering the Open Banking movement in Europe and the US, GT Software allows mainframes to rapidly create inbound calls and call out. Now, legacy systems can perform functions such as real-time payment, fraud detection, KYC, and AML in real-time. GT Software is proud to help lead innovation with its 35+ years of mainframe expertise.
