This morning I received an email notification that read “Congratulations 2019-2020 Microsoft MVP!” Today is the day I was eagerly awaiting for the last couple months. Today, I got received notification from Microsoft that I have been awarded the Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award for the 2019 award year!

A Brief History of My Microsoft MVP Experience

This is my 8th time receiving the Microsoft MVP award, since my first time in 2008. Last year I posted a bit about my history with the Microsoft MVP program. In summary, I was originally awarded in the Virtual Earth expertise category (for 5 years in a row); which was eventually renamed Bing Maps. As a developer, I’ve always been a “developer” MVP. My specialization back then was, as a developer, working with the various REST APIs and SDKs for implementing GIS / Mapping integrations into line-of-business and other applications. In 2012 I sort of went dark to the community, and reemerged to community visibility again with BuildAzure.com in 2015. Then, in 2017 I was awarded the Microsoft MVP award once again; this time in the Microsoft Azure expertise category.

I’ve learned a lot about community through my career and experiences with the Microsoft MVP program. I’ve learned a ton from the community over the years, and I have a passion to help the community as much as I can to return the favor. I’ve seen many people contribute to local meetups, blogs, etc. (some earning Microsoft MVP but most not) and most of them eventually fade off and stop contributing. With all the benefits I’ve seen from continuing to contribute, and the downsides of not contributing, so I plan to always continue contributing to the community in some fashion.

Here’s a list of my Microsoft MVP award years and the expertise category title for my award over the years:

• 2019 – Microsoft Azure
• 2018 – Microsoft Azure
• 2017 – Microsoft Azure
• 2012 – Bing Maps
• 2011 – Windows Live Platform
• 2010 – Windows Live Platform
• 2009 – Windows Live Platform
• 2008 – Virtual Earth

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Just received my 8th #MicrosoftMVP award in the mail. First time was in 2008. Always an honor to add the new award disc to the glass trophy.👍❤️ #MicrosoftAzure #Azure #Microsoft #MVPBuzz #MVPAward #BuildAzure

A post shared by Chris Pietschmann (@crpietschmann) on Jul 26, 2019 at 8:29am PDT

2019-2020 Microsoft MVP with Microsoft Azure

For the 2019 to 2020 award year, I am a Microsoft MVP in the Microsoft Azure award category once again. It’s a humbling and exciting experience to be awarded Microsoft MVP and to be a member of this “elite” group of roughly only 4,000 Microsoft MVPs around the world.

Received my 8th #MicrosoftMVP award in 12 years today! Always humbling and amazing to be recognized by @Microsoft for all I do in the community with @BuildAzure and other areas! Thank you very much!! @MVPAward #MVPBuzz

— Chris Pietschmann (@crpietschmann) July 1, 2019

I contribute to the community alot in many areas of the Microsoft Azure space. This is the reason my Microsoft MVP award expertise category is Microsoft Azure. Microsoft Azure is a very broad category, especially since Azure has really grown to tons of products and services over the years. My specialty areas are in the Developer, Architecture, DevOps, and Internet of Things (IoT) spaces. As you can see from my content here on BuildAzure.com, I post articles and guides on all sorts of topics within these areas.

If you’re interested in reading more about what it takes to become a Microsoft MVP, or how to get awarded, I encourage you to read my “How to become a Microsoft MVP” article where I explain some of the details of the program.

Fellow Build Azure Authors are MVPs Too!!

On a related note, I’d like to make a “shout out” to both Dan Patrick and Andrea Angella. They both received notification today that they’ve also been awarded the 2019-2020 Microsoft MVP award too! Dan in a Microsoft Azure MVP, and Andrea is a C# MVP. You can find articles from the two of them posted right here on BuildAzure.com, as well as all the other community activities they do.

Congratulations to Dan Patrick, Andrea Angella, and all the other Microsoft MVPs awarded this award cycle! And, to all those not re-awarded, you still provide value, and I look forward to seeing what EVERYONE does over the next 12 months during this 2019-2020 Microsoft MVP award year!!

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