Annual awards recognize more than 300 individuals providing the backbone to the Sitecore community by engaging others through their inspiration, mentorship and support

Sitecore, the global leader in experience management software, announced the 2020 Sitecore Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs), honoring more than 300 individuals who have gone above and beyond to support the Sitecore community with educational product content and engagements as well as offering invaluable early user feedback on products in development. Now in its 14^th year, the MVP program has expanded to include Luxembourg, Russia, and Ireland, representing professionals from across 35 countries and more than 140 companies who provide the human element critical to driving innovations for Sitecore solutions and building an excited user base who actively engage both on- and offline.

Developed initially to acknowledge notable users involved directly with Sitecore teams, the program quickly expanded to accept nominations from the Sitecore user community. In 2020, Sitecore recognized 154 Technology MVPs, 46 Strategy MVPs, 19 Commerce MVPs, and 97 Ambassador MVPs. These expert users represent the Sitecore community’s full diversity of skills and experiences, with work that ranges across industries and implementations to illustrate the full capabilities of Sitecore’s offerings.

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“It’s an honor to be one of the first Sitecore MVPs and to continue to be recognized today. I’ve developed some of my strongest professional friendships through the Sitecore MVP Program because it creates a real sense of camaraderie,” said 14-year MVP veteran Andy Uzick, vice president of martech innovation at Arke Systems. “Sitecore has been a major part of my career, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new. Being able to share what I know with the greater community is extremely rewarding, and it is an honor to see people I have mentored become MVPs.”

“Sitecore MVPs are rock stars in the industry. They are committed to helping others uphold Sitecore’s recommended practices, and they often drive change for the better for both the technology and the community,” said first-time MVP Shelley Benhoff, lead developer at The Berndt Group and Pluralsight Author. “I have watched this community grow over the last 10 years since I started working with Sitecore. Every MVP I have spoken to or worked with has challenged me to do better, be better. Some have even mentored me without me having to ask. Sitecore MVPs go above and beyond to help others and that is incredibly special.”

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Sitecore MVPs are selected through an extensive evaluation process that considers their deep understanding of the Sitecore platform and their commitment to sharing it with other Sitecore partners and customers via original content, such as blog posts, podcasts, videos and webinars, as well as through speaking opportunities and online engagements via social media, chat groups and user forums. These select individuals also engage directly with Sitecore, offering early assessment of new products before they come to market.

“It is fulfilling to see the sense of real community and accomplishment among the Sitecore MVPs, both old and new. While we are focused daily on enabling accomplishments in the digital world, the human connection is a critical component that cannot be overlooked. Sitecore MVPs donate their time and expertise to help our product teams understand what users want and need from our solutions, while educating and mentoring customers on what is possible with our latest offerings,” said Pieter Brinkman, senior director of technical marketing at Sitecore. “These individuals are an invaluable asset to our organization and a critical part of the Sitecore Ecosystem.”

Upcoming key events for the Sitecore Community include Sitecore Hackathon 2020, running Feb. 28–29; Virtual Developer Day, beginning online March 18 at 9 a.m. AEDT and running 24 hours to conclude in New York at 5 p.m. EDT; and Sitecore User Group Conference Europe 2020, March 26-27 in Budapest, Hungary, among other events throughout the year.

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