1,300 Technical Experts Arrive in Redmond for Microsoft's 2010 MVP Global Summit

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- From Feb. 16 to 19, as the Winter Olympics showcase the world's best athletes in Vancouver, B.C., approximately 1,300 of the top leaders from the world's technical community will spend four days at the Microsoft Corp. headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Participating in Microsoft's 2010 MVP Global Summit are Microsoft's Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs), an exceptional group of technical community experts committed to helping others get the most out of their technology investments and to represent the "voice of the community" to Microsoft.

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During the four-day summit, worldwide MVPs, who are all non-Microsoft employees, will share critical feedback with Microsoft about its products and services. The summit also provides MVPs with the opportunity to interact face to face with product groups and sharpen their technical skills through more than 700 sessions offered as part of the ongoing connection that the MVP Award Program offers throughout the year. Stephen Elop, president of the Microsoft Business Division, will headline the summit and discuss the important relationship Microsoft has with MVPs and how the company uses their feedback to create a better experience for all technology users.

"Summit brings together some of the top leaders within global technical communities," said Toby Richards, general manager, Community and Online Support for Microsoft. "I always look forward to this week and am extremely excited to engage with technology's best and brightest and discuss what's on their minds."

With the recent launch of Windows 7, this has been a significant year for Microsoft and for MVPs. Even before Windows 7 had hit the shelves for consumers, many MVPs published books and online guides for users to more easily navigate the new tools, tricks and benefits of the new operating system. Furthermore, there are now 247 MVP blogs devoted to Windows 7, and the number is growing.

"The tremendous feedback and real-time peer-to-peer support provided by MVPs make a positive difference to thousands of technology users every day," Richards said. "I eagerly anticipate the feedback that MVPs will share for some of Microsoft's future big bets during the 2010 MVP Global Summit."

About the Microsoft MVP Award Program

Microsoft began the MVP Award Program as a way to recognize community leaders in the general public who devote their time and technical expertise to helping others in various online technical forums. Over time, the program has evolved; today, awards are annually given to members of technical communities worldwide for their outstanding contributions to communities, which also include their own Web sites, user groups, blogs, wikis, social media and more.

More than 100 million people participate in technical communities, and this year Microsoft awarded more than 4,000 MVPs worldwide on a quarterly basis. Outstanding technical-community members can be nominated by their peers in the community, Microsoft employees or other MVPs. Microsoft's MVP Award Program is in its 17th year, with MVPs today representing 96 countries, speaking 37 different languages and spanning 94 Microsoft technology areas.

More information about the MVP Award Program and the 2010 MVPs can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/mvp and at http://blogs.msdn.com/mvpawardprogram. More information on Microsoft technical communities can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/communities.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.