In this episode of The Incredible i Show, Peg Tuttle sits down with COMMON Board Nominee Todd Stewart to talk about the future of the IBM i community—and how we get there together.

With over 40 years in IT and a unique background that includes service as a firefighter and chaplain, Todd brings a thoughtful and grounded perspective on leadership, service, and community.

Todd shares how organizations can successfully address the IBM i skills gap by investing in young talent, why modern development tools like VS Code are helping level the playing field, and how initiatives like COMMON 2030 and N2i are shaping the next generation of IBM i professionals.

This conversation is all about building what’s next—while honoring the strength of the community that’s already here.

🔑 What You’ll Learn

• Why the IBM i skills gap is a talent opportunity—not a limitation
• How hiring and developing young developers is working today
• The impact of COMMON 2030 and the N2i initiative
• Modern development on IBM i: open source, DevOps, and VS Code
• Integrating IBM i with IoT and modern technologies
• The importance of changing perception within the enterprise
• Todd’s leadership approach: servant leadership in action
• Why community is the foundation of long-term success

💬 Memorable Quote

“You don’t need to find people with IBM i skills—you need to find talented people and grow them.”

📣 Connect & Learn More

If you're attending POWERUp, be sure to catch Todd’s sessions and connect with him in person. You can also find him on LinkedIn to continue the conversation and share your ideas for the future of the IBM i community.

🎧 About the Show

The Incredible i Show is your go-to podcast for conversations around IBM i, hybrid cloud, modernization, and the people shaping the future of the platform.

AI is everywhere — but what’s actually working in the real world?

In this episode of The Incredible i Show, Peg Tuttle sits down with Michael Gallagher, CIO at Lightedge, to cut through the noise and explore how AI is truly being used inside organizations today.

From productivity gains to mindset shifts, Michael shares practical insights from implementing AI inside enterprise environments. This conversation goes beyond buzzwords and focuses on what it really takes to make AI work — including content strategy, data readiness, security, and adoption.

If you’re a business leader, technologist, or simply trying to understand where AI fits in your organization, this episode delivers real-world perspective you can apply immediately.

🔑 What You’ll Learn

• What’s real vs. hype in AI today
• Why content and data matter before AI can deliver value
• How AI champions help drive adoption
• What leaders should consider around security and tool selection
• How AI is improving productivity across the business

💡 Key Takeaways

• AI is already creating real business value
• Strong content, data, and guardrails matter
• Adoption works best when teams see practical use cases
• AI is changing how people work, not just the tools they use

👤 About Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Lightedge, where he leads enterprise technology strategy with a focus on innovation, operational efficiency, and AI-driven transformation. With extensive experience in IT leadership, Michael specializes in aligning technology with business outcomes, helping organizations modernize their approach to data, automation, and digital workflows.

He has been at the forefront of implementing AI within the enterprise, driving practical use cases that enhance productivity, improve decision-making, and support scalable growth.

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-gallagher-60827672

🔗 Learn More

• Lightedge: https://www.lightedge.com

🎁 One Incredible Thing

Michael shares his experience visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios — a fun reminder of the power of immersive experiences and attention to detail.

Peg shares her excitement around stepping into a new creative chapter — combining technology and creativity through podcasting, storytelling, and even quilting — and how exploring new passions can open the door to what’s next.

🎧 Follow & Subscribe

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow The Incredible i Show for more conversations on AI, IBM i, hybrid cloud, and enterprise technology.

In this episode of The Incredible i Show, Peg Tuttle sits down with Tim Rowe from IBM to explore BOB—IBM’s new AI-powered development tool designed to help modernize and understand legacy IBM i applications.

From analyzing decades-old RPG code to generating documentation in minutes, BOB is changing how developers approach modernization, reduce risk, and accelerate development.

Peg and Tim discuss what this means for IBM i shops today and how organizations can begin thinking about AI as part of their modernization strategy.

One standout moment:
“We planned to test it for 30 minutes… we ended up using it for 5 hours.”

That kind of engagement speaks volumes about the potential impact of this technology.

🎥 Watch the full video episode here:
https://youtu.be/q4JdQXZ65DY

🔑 Key Topics:
- What BOB is and how it works
- AI for IBM i and legacy systems
- Understanding and documenting RPG code
- Reducing risk in modernization efforts
- Real-world time and cost savings
- The future of AI in enterprise development

👤 About the Guest:
Tim Rowe is a leader at IBM focused on developer tools and innovation within the IBM i ecosystem. He has been instrumental in advancing modern development practices and helping organizations evolve their applications through new technologies, including AI.

🎙️ About the Show:
The Incredible i Show, hosted by Peg Tuttle, explores the latest trends, technologies, and innovations in the IBM i community. Through conversations with industry leaders and experts, the show highlights practical insights and real-world strategies for IT professionals navigating modernization, cloud, and emerging technologies.

09 Ready to rethink what’s possible on IBM i?

In this episode, IBM’s Jesse Gorzinski returns to share how AI is not just a buzzword — it’s already happening inside your IBM i environment. From open-source innovations to on-chip acceleration in Power10, Jesse breaks down the tools, tech, and transformations redefining the platform.

We cover:

• How Power10 accelerates AI on the chip — no GPU required
• Tools like Manzan and Mopapi that make IBM i smarter and more connected
• New AI integration frameworks like Tirico that let RPG developers “ask AI” with a single function
• Why on-prem AI means better security, lower latency, and real-time insights
• How IBM i is shaking off old stereotypes and stepping into the AI spotlight

Whether you're an RPG developer, a systems architect, or just AI-curious, this episode is packed with insights, energy, and — of course — a few laughs.

Jesse Gorzinski, Senior Business Architect at IBM

LinkedIn

Explore IBM i + AI Resources
Check out IBM’s AI + IBM i guide — updated and ready to explore:
https://ibm.biz/ibmi-ai
http://ibm.biz/ai-ibmi

IBM Ideas - the RFE process has a brand new look and feel!
IBM i Success Stories

🎉 One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Jesse – While attending the Navigate event in Bonita Springs, FL last fall, Jesse and his wife took a ferry to a private island — and witnessed a live dolphin birth during the ride! Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Peg – It's officially spring grilling season! Peg is all in on grilling peaches — perfect for fresh salads and sweet summer desserts.

Upcoming EVENTS:

LISUG - Horizons 2025: Actionable AI - May 14, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

COMMON Europe Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden - June 2-5, 2025

i-UG i-Power Conference 2025, June 10-11, 2025 - Mercure Northampton Hotel

SHOW SPONSORS:
Lightedge
COMMON

Check out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!

Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: Peggy@theincredibleishow.com

08 Steve Will, Chief Architect of IBM i, is back on The Incredible i Show — and he’s bringing the fire. 🔥

In this episode, we unpack the newly released IBM i 7.6, where security takes center stage with integrated multi-factor authentication (MFA), full system encryption, and a push to adopt modern tools. Steve explains why this release is different — and what it means for Power10 (and beyond 👀).

We also dig into Code Assist, IBM’s AI-powered project for RPG development. Steve shares where things stand, what surprised him most, and what you can expect at POWERUp 2025.

💡 Topics we cover:

• What’s new in IBM i 7.6 (and why it matters)
• Why MFA is only available on 7.6+
• Code Assist progress, model training, and what’s next
• Lessons learned from collaborating across IBM

Steve Will, IBM i CTO, Distinguished Engineer
LinkedIn

IBM Ideas - the RFE process has a brand new look and feel!
IBM i Success Stories

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Steve Will: 🎶 Getting back into choir after nearly a decade — Steve’s rediscovered his love for singing, performing a special Easter piece alongside his wife and daughter.

Peg Tuttle: 🌼 Spring flowers in full bloom — Peg’s soaking up the season with spontaneous garden center trips and a trunk full of colorful finds.

Upcoming EVENTS:

LISUG - Horizons 2025: Actionable AI - May 14, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

COMMON Europe Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden - June 2-5, 2025

i-UG i-Power Conference 2025, June 10-11, 2025 - Mercure Northampton Hotel

SHOW SPONSORS:
Lightedge
COMMON

Check out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!

Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: Peggy@theincredibleishow.com

07 It’s IBM i announcement day, and joining us is the legendary Scott Forstie, IBM i database architect and innovation leader. In this episode, we unpack the highlights of the latest IBM i Technology Refresh, explore the brand-new Migrate While Active (MWA) functionality, and take a fresh look at security from the inside out.

Scott shares what’s new in the IBM i ecosystem, how these updates impact the community, and why staying current is more critical than ever. Whether you're a developer, admin, or just a fan of the platform—this episode delivers insight with heart, humor, and real-world experience.

What You’ll Learn:

• Highlights from the latest IBM i Announcements
• What Migrate While Active is—and how it’s changing the game
• Lessons from the first MWA production adopter
• IBM i security: Common gaps and how to protect your environment
• Why “secure by default” is a myth (and what to do instead)
• How Scott’s team approaches software development and client feedback
• Upcoming events and community opportunities

Scott Forstie, Senior Technical Staff Member and Db2 for i Business Architect at IBM
Email: forstie@us.ibm.com
Twitter: @Forstie_IBMi
Get the Gist here
http://ibm.biz/Db2foriSQLTutor
https://www.ibm.com/us-en?ar=1
IBM Ideas - the RFE process has a brand new look and feel!
IBM i Success Stories

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Scott's pick for this week:
Comedy Clubs & Events - Nate Bargatze (one of Peg's favs!)

Peg's pick for this week:
Spring Weather (which I have said a couple times!)

Upcoming EVENTS:
NEUGC, April 7-9, 2025

LISUG - Horizons 2025: Actionable AI - May 14, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

SHOW SPONSORS:
Lightedge
COMMON

Check out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!

Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: Peggy@theincredibleishow.com

06 Get ready for a fun and insightful episode of The Incredible i Show! This week, I welcome IBM Champion and CTO Steve Wolk, and Senior Infrastructure Engineer Nima Bank, to talk all things Ansible on IBM i.

Steve and Nima share their real-world automation journey—from tackling unexpected performance issues to discovering the magic of Ansible automation. You’ll hear how they turned necessity into innovation, improved efficiency, and why Ansible is such a powerful tool when paired with IBM i. Plus, get an exclusive look at how AI is shaping their future projects!

Join us for tech tales, tips, and laughs—you won’t want to miss it!

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding Ansible and why it's a perfect match for IBM i.
• Real-world applications and surprising discoveries.
• Practical tips for getting started with automation.
• The exciting intersection of automation and AI.

Guests:

Steve Wolk, IBM Champion and Chief Technology Office

Nima Bank, Senior Infrastructure Engineer

• Ansible Automation: https://www.ansible.com
• IBM i and Ansible Collection: https://galaxy.ansible.com/ui/repo/published/ibm/power_ibmi

Social:

• LinkedIn | Steve Wolk
• LinkedIn | Nima Bank

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Steve's pick for this week:
Star Trek & Universal Fan Fest

Nima's pick for this week:
Upcoming vacation in Iceland

Peg's pick for this week:
College kid coming home for spring break!

Upcoming EVENTS:
NEUGC, April 7-9, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

SHOW SPONSORS:
Lightedge
COMMON

Check out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!

Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: Peggy@theincredibleishow.com

05 IBM Power Rockstars, this one’s a must-listen! On this episode of The Incredible i Show, we sit down with Ted Macksam, an IT leader who’s pushing the boundaries of modernization on IBM i.

Imagine running your entire IBM i ERP without traditional green screens, without terminal sessions, and without legacy roadblocks—just open-source technology and browser-based access. That’s the reality at Hatco, and Ted is here to share exactly how they did it.

We’ll explore:

• Their journey from legacy ERP to 100% open-source, web-driven IBM i
• How their team executes seamless DR switchovers in under 30 minutes
• The transformation of an RPG programmer into a full-stack open-source developer
• The importance of succession planning and what the future holds for IBM i IT teams

Ted Macksam, VP of Information Technology at Hatco

Email: tmacksam@hatcocorp.com
LinkedIn

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Ted's pick for this week:
Family vacation in Dominican Republic

Peg's pick for this week:
College kid coming home for spring break!

Upcoming EVENTS:
NEUGC, April 7-9, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

SHOW SPONSORS:
Lightedge
COMMON

Check out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!

Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: Peggy@theincredibleishow.com