Celebrating the Recipients of the 15th Annual Expert Awards

The Expert Awards are an annual tradition at Experts Exchange where we celebrate the incredible work of our top experts. Each year, our team evaluates the merits and contributions of all experts to select the final recipients. Additionally, we ask the users of our site to nominate experts who have been particularly helpful, inspirational, or innovative in their work on site. These nominations are used to help select the Experts Exchange Fellows and the Most Valuable Experts.

Having witnessed their hard work and generosity, we are honored and proud to be able to recognize the following experts for their contributions.

The Experts Exchange Fellow is a title given to experts who have made extraordinary contributions to the technology community and to the users of our site. This prestigious award is reserved for a small group of highly professional and knowledgeable experts who best embody the Experts Exchange mission. These experts demonstrate leadership and collaboration across multiple technology fields, truly setting themselves above the rest with their experience level and dedication to their work.

Here are this year’s recipients:

Andrew Hancock is a VMware vExpert whose patience and eagerness to help has greatly benefited our users. He embodies the Experts Exchange mission through his passion for teaching others and his commitment to providing his expertise wherever it is needed.

“I like to meet new Experts...at the beginning of their VMware and Virtualisation careers, and it’s a pleasure to see them develop and their experience grow with the VMware and Virtualisation products over the many years I’ve answered their questions. It is hoped one day they will also go on to participate and answer questions at Experts Exchange, and I’ve led by example.”

-Andrew Hancock

Scott Fell is a developer who volunteers as a site moderator. His positive feedback from users on site proves how patient and knowledgeable he is in all interactions. His willingness to help and his dedication to the site have been instrumental to our team and our users.

“I enjoy learning by doing and self study. Experts Exchange offers the opportunity to learn by helping others on their own projects, which many times opens up your eyes to something new or a different way of going about a problem. A community of Experts collaborating from around the globe is not something you can get, other than a forum like this.”

-Scott Fell

The Most Valuable Experts actively contribute on site by providing highly effective advice. They take the initiative to help others and demonstrate innovative thinking in their solutions. Their contributions consistently improve the overall quality of our site.

Here are this year’s recipients:

Joe Winograd has more than 50 years of experience in the computer industry. He’s worked in both development and sales, giving him a variety of perspectives and experiences. In 2017, he became the first recipient of the Experts Exchange Fellow.

Chris Stanyon is a topic advisor with over 3,000 accepted solutions. He specializes in jQuery, PHP, and JavaScript. When interacting on site, he is particularly skilled at anticipating a user’s end goal and helping them achieve it. He is known to be a great collaborator and a patient teacher.

Scott Pletcher is a senior database administrator who was named a Microsoft MVP (SQL) in 2007, 2008, and 2009. He has over 9,000 accepted solutions and has been on site since 2001.

oBdA has provided users with over 11,000 accepted solutions. He contributes solely because he has fun helping people. For users who feel the urge to show their appreciation, he suggests that you make a donation to one of his favorite organizations (listed on his profile) on his behalf.

Subodh Tiwari (Neeraj) is a software consultant who specializes in Excel and VBA. The feedback he receives from users on site declares that he is “wonderful,” “patient,” and “consistently amazing.” We wholeheartedly agree.

The Expert of the Year is a title given to an expert motivated by a desire to provide assistance to those who need it. Their outstanding performance is exemplified by their active participation and effective leadership in all interactions on site.

This year’s recipient is John Hurst.

John Hurst is a financial consultant who also works as a treasurer for a couple of non-profit organizations. He was named a Microsoft MVP (Windows and Devices for IT) in 2016. In his free time, he enjoys working with electronics and building intricate model trains.

The Rookie of the Year is given to a newer expert who is dedicated to helping others and has made outstanding contributions within their first couple years on Experts Exchange. This expert is an innovative thinker who actively participates on site and brings useful knowledge to every situation.

This year’s recipient is Jose Gabriel Ortega Castro.

Jose Gabriel Ortega Castro joined Experts Exchange in 2017. He is the CEO of Faru Bonon IT. He also helps out on site as a topic advisor and solution guide. He has a strong passion for tech and has already made a place for himself on site as a valued contributor.  

The Author of the Year is awarded to an expert who publishes valuable and insightful articles on relevant technology topics. These contributions have repeatedly provided readers with new knowledge and a deeper understanding of the topics discussed. This expert must also exemplify professionalism, active participation, and outstanding performance in all interactions on site.

This year’s recipient is Andrew Hancock.

Alongside his work answering questions, Andrew Hancock has published 100 articles on Experts Exchange. These exclusive articles are extensively detailed and provide helpful information and advice, particularly for anyone wanting to improve their proficiency with VMware.

Distinguished Experts have consistently been the most helpful contributors in a specific topic. This requires an expert to have a strong dedication to their field and active participation throughout their time on site.

You can view the full list of Distinguished Experts on the official announcement page here.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the experts who spend their time helping others on Experts Exchange. We are looking forward to another great year!