CM First Group is heading to New Orleans for COMMON POWERUp 2026. March 24, 2026 If you work in the IBM i space, you already know that one event every spring stands apart from the rest. COMMON's POWERUp conference is the largest IBM i community gathering in the world, and this year it's coming to the New Orleans Marriott from April 27-30. CM First Group will be there - with a booth on the expo floor, swag to give away, and two presentations on the schedule. If you're attending, CM First Group'd love to see you. What is COMMON POWERUp? For anyone newer to the IBM i ecosystem, a little context is in order. COMMON is a nonprofit user group that has served IBM i (formerly AS/400 and iSeries) professionals for decades. POWERUp is its flagship annual conference, drawing more than 1,000 IT professionals, developers, architects, and business leaders from across the IBM i world. The conference is built around three ideas: learn, engage, and grow. Over four full days in New Orleans, attendees gain access to hundreds of expert-led sessions, hands-on workshops, and keynote presentations covering the full breadth of what's happening in the IBM i ecosystem right now. Sessions this year span the latest release of IBM i 7.6, open source security, modern development approaches using APIs, RPG, Python, and Node.js, AI applied to systems management and observability, database modernization, and much more. Whether you're a developer writing RPG every day, an architect planning your organization's next modernization phase, or a technology leader trying to make the right strategic bets, there's a track built for you. Beyond the sessions, the expo floor is where the IBM i vendor community shows up in force. The POWERUp Expo is the largest of its kind, with extended hours and receptions built into the schedule Monday through Wednesday - a genuine opportunity to have real conversations with the people building the tools you're evaluating or already using. And then there's New Orleans itself, arguably the most distinctive conference city in the country. The closing reception this year is at Generations Hall, a historic venue in the Warehouse District. If you've never attended a conference here, this is the year to say yes. CM First Group at POWERUp 2026. CM First Group's connection to the IBM i community isn't recent. John Rhodes, its CTO and co-founder, was part of the original Broadcom engineering team that built CA 2E (Synon) and CA Plex - platforms that thousands of IBM i shops still run today. That lineage means CM First Group don't just understand IBM i from a distance; CM First Group understand it at the architecture level, and that depth of experience has shaped every aspect of how CM evolveIT was built and how its consultants approach modernization engagements. This year, CM First Group is bringing that experience to the POWERUp expo floor. Stop by the CM First booth to talk with its team about whatever is on your mind - whether that's modernization strategy, AI-powered code analysis, business rule extraction, cross-system dependency mapping, or just understanding what CM evolveIT can do for your specific environment. CM First Group'll have swag on hand and practitioners ready to dig into the details with you. CM First Group is also delivering two sessions at the conference this year, and both are squarely focused on the practical engineering challenges IBM i teams face when modernization is on the roadmap. Session 1: COBOL to modern RPG using static analysis, automation and AI assistance. Moving COBOL applications to RPG IV can be faster and safer with the right combination of tools - but it still requires solid engineering discipline. This session explains how static analysis tools identify data flow, dependencies, and shared logic before conversion begins, and how to combine AI automation with proven analysis methods to transform COBOL business logic into clear, maintainable RPG IV code. Real examples walk through planning, testing, and incremental rollout techniques that minimize risk. A case study using actual COBOL code is included. Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how to balance automation, analysis, and AI methods for dependable, low-risk modernization on IBM i. Session 2: mapping cross-system interactions with static analysis and AI assistance. Modern IBM i environments depend on complex data exchanges across systems - through messaging platforms like MQ, APIs, and batch managed file transfer processes. Documenting those interactions is often the hardest part of any modernization planning effort, especially when the original documentation no longer exists. This session focuses on combining automated static analysis with AI techniques to trace and document system connections, rebuild missing documentation, identify redundant paths, and improve visibility across the integration landscape. A case study is included. Attendees will learn how to identify and map cross-system dependencies, understand when AI assistance adds value versus when traditional analysis works better, and apply hybrid techniques for documentation, modernization, and improved reliability. Why POWERUp matters for IBM i modernization teams. The conversations that happen at POWERUp are different from what you get at a general enterprise tech conference. The people in that building understand IBM i from the inside. They know what it means to maintain mission-critical RPG applications that have run without interruption for 25 years. They understand the weight of that responsibility - and the pressure to modernize, to connect legacy systems to modern APIs, to extract embedded business logic before experienced developers retire, and to meet compliance demands that keep getting more complex. That's the world CM evolveIT was built for. Its compiler-level analysis tools give IBM i teams the visibility they need to make modernization decisions with confidence rather than guesswork. The approximately 80% reduction in legacy system discovery time that organizations typically experience with CM evolveIT isn't an abstract benchmark - it's the difference between a modernization program that gains momentum and one that stalls indefinitely in the analysis phase. POWERUp is where those conversations happen naturally, among people who are actually living those challenges. That's why CM First Group keep coming back, and why CM First Group is especially pleased to be on the session schedule this year. Come find CM First Group in New Orleans. If you're registered for POWERUp 2026, put the CM First booth on your must-visit list. Come with your questions, your toughest modernization problems, and your appetite for beignets - CM First Group'll handle the rest. To connect with its team before the conference, visit cmfirstgroup.com or reach CM First Group directly at [email protected] or 888-866-6179. CM First Group'll see you in New Orleans.

Event: SHARE Orlando February 22-26. Join CM First at SHARE Orlando 2026. Are you heading to SHARE in Orlando, February 22 - 26, 2025? Make sure to add CM First Group to your must-visit list. Here, you'll discover the tools, technologies, and expertise you need to modernize legacy systems and stay ahead of the curve in the fast-evolving world of IT. Why visit CM First? At its booth, CM First Group'll take you beyond the buzzwords, introducing you to actionable solutions and real-world insights that can transform the way you work. Here's what you can look forward to: 1. Live demonstrations of CM evolveIT. See its flagship product, CM evolveIT, in action! From automating complex processes to modernizing legacy applications with AI superpowers, its demos will show you how to approach transformation with confidence. 2. One-on-One consultations with industry experts. Have questions about your unique IT challenges? Bring them to CM First Group. Its team of seasoned professionals will be on hand to provide personalized advice and practical recommendations tailored specifically for your organization's needs. 3. Exclusive giveaways and resources. CM First Group is not sending you home empty-handed! Stop by its booth to collect exclusive resources and tools that will make tackling your IT challenges smoother - and more rewarding. 4. Interactive displays. Immerse yourself in interactive displays that illustrate the power of innovative IT solutions. From legacy application modernization to actionable insights, explore tech that solves problems in real-world settings. 5. Networking opportunities. Engage with like-minded IT professionals, exchange ideas with peers, and build connections with industry leaders - all at the heart of SHARE Orlando 2026! Schedule your one-on-one meeting today. Ensure you maximize your SHARE conference experience. Avoid the lines and make your visit even more valuable by scheduling a one-on-one meeting with its expert team ahead of the event. Together, CM First Group'll explore solutions that align with your IT goals and challenges. Time slots fill up fast, so don't wait too long to secure yours. SHARE 2026 in Orlando is your chance to discover the future of IT. CM First Group can't wait to meet you! About SHARE. SHARE(R), the ultimate event for mainframe technical professionals, will run from February 22nd to the 26th. CM First Group will be there live and in person from Monday the 23rd to Wednesday the 25th. Whether you're looking to connect with peers and vendors, enhance your expertise, or stay informed about the latest trends and innovations, SHARE Orland is where you want to be. Visit its product page to learn more about CM evolveIT.