PowerPoint’s Most Valued Professionals…

Over the next few posts we’re going to explore the workings of the PowerPoint team’s MVPs.

To begin, you first need to be acquainted with the general Microsoft MVP program.

As you may have guessed, MVP stands for Most Valuable Professional. Although that might sound like a contrived acronym, it’s actually quite accurate. They are highly professional, and very valuable to both Microsoft and our customers. It’s an incredible and unique organization – if you’re not already making the most of your MVPs, perhaps the next few posts can convince you that you should.

Microsoft watches the community of users, those participating in the product support newsgroups, some with their own product-based web sites, or those who simply stand out in their advocacy and support of specific products.  In other words, the MVP program is looking for individuals who are already acting like MVPs, already supporting the larger community. These are people who answer other user’s questions, who help with their own how-to articles or add-in tools for the products.  Candidates are identified, are discussed internally, and then some, the ones who really stand-out, are contacted and invited to join the program.  And when they do join, they are assigned to a Microsoft product - typically the one they’re already noteworthy within, as you might expect. 

What’s in it for them?  Well, as an MVP, they do get a couple of perks and advantages.  They get to purchase a few Microsoft products at a reduced cost. They are allowed to identify themselves as being an MVP in mail, their business correspondence, web sites, etc.  And they get a higher level of access to the product group they support. Over all, it’s a pretty sweet reward for something you’re already doing.

So how about PowerPoint’s MVPs?

PowerPoint’s MVPs are a great group, excellent folks who represent a diverse set of specialties and talents with the PowerPoint product.  We have world-class designers, design consultants, writers, programmers, and some amazing feature hackers.  A terrific, talented, and generous group of folks you really should get to know better.

Some of the PowerPoint MVPs at the Microsoft MVP Global Summit 2008 – Redmond WA  

I could spend the rest of the article listing these folks individually but you can read a bit about each of them here.

Next up: Where MVPs hang out, and how they can help you.

Ric Bretschneider – 1/25/2009