NAViGATE 2026 at IBM TechXchange

For years, the IBM i community has talked about the same challenge: “Our experienced people are retiring, and we can’t find anyone to replace them.” But is there really a talent shortage, or is it time to rethink how we hire, mentor, and grow talent? In this joint session, Brian Nordland (Director of Development - IBM Power at Fortra) and Steven Wolk (CTO of PC Richard & Son) share practical, real world strategies that have helped their organizations successfully attract and develop the next generation of IBM i professionals. Rather than focusing on theory, this session is packed with practical examples, lessons learned, success stories, and honest discussion about what has and hasn’t worked. Whether you’re struggling to hire, trying to retain talent, or looking for ways to energize your existing team, you’ll leave this session with actionable ideas you can immediately apply within your own organization. The future of IBM i talent won’t happen by accident. It happens when we intentionally build it!