Global Knowledge Chief Architect named Microsoft MVP for 12th year in succession
Thomas Lee is named on the vendor's Most Valuable Professional list for 2007 in recognition of technical leadership in the IT skills development community.
Thomas Lee, Chief Architect at the leading provider of IT training for professionals and management, Global Knowledge, has been named as a Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP) for the twelfth year in succession. The latest MVP Award makes Lee one of longest-serving MVPs in the world and gives Global Knowledge advanced access to exclusive technical and development information.
For Global Knowledge and its customers, Lee's position as a Microsoft MVP is valuable, says Jeffrey Smithies, Product Director EMEA at the company. "We congratulate Thomas on what is a very admirable achievement through his valued support within the Microsoft community. His unique technical insight enables us to understand the implications of Microsoft's new product introductions at a very early stage, so we can prepare to meet the needs of our customers well in advance."
It also demonstrates the high value that Global Knowledge places on the continual development of the skills of its own personnel. "We feel it is vitally important for us to have in-depth understanding and a very high level of technical competence in key products and systems and we actively encourage and fund the on-going development of all our key staff", says Smithies. "In this way, we are able to develop more advanced, insightful and valuable learning experiences to support our customers through to their knowledge, certification or competency goal."
"Thomas is an exceptional technical community leader and has been an outstanding Microsoft Most Valued Professional for 12 years. His dedication and focus on Microsoft technologies has been a great benefit to not only Microsoft but to technology users worldwide." Says Sean O'Driscoll, Microsoft General Manager CSS Community and MVP.
Commenting on his Award, Thomas Lee states: "I'm both honoured and delighted to be named as a Microsoft MVP once again. This award is really useful to me in my role, which is all about understanding what new products and technologies mean to professionals and managers, and identifying where we will need to focus our efforts in order to help them develop their own capabilities."
The MVP scheme is also, Lee notes, a significant investment by Microsoft in its customers. "Through the MVP initiative, Microsoft is ensuring that knowledge and support of all its technologies are accessible freely to all Microsoft customers and users.. The help MVPs provide helps customers maximise their productivity and get the best value and return on investment in Microsoft products."
Microsoft describes the MVP Award is its way of acknowledging and supporting the significant contributions that individual professionals make to Microsoft communities through the open and objective exchange of knowledge, and the active sharing of their real-world expertise with users and with Microsoft itself.
MVPs are recognised, credible and accessible individuals with expertise in one or more Microsoft® products who actively participate in on-line and off-line communities to share their knowledge and expertise with other Microsoft customers. It is a fairly elite group with only some 2600 being named worldwide every year. As well as a wide range of information and services, MVPs have access to Microsoft's own technical experts and other MVPs around the world, through the dedicated members' web site. They also have opportunities to build relationships with other MVPs and with Microsoft product teams through a variety of special activities, including the MVP Global Summit and local events, and play an important part in providing Microsoft with customer feedback.