Celebrating 15 Years of PUG Challenge
WITS Continues to Support the Progress Community
This year, the PUG Challenge reaches a remarkable milestone: its 15th edition. For the worldwide Progress OpenEdge community, this is much more than another conference anniversary. It is a celebration of knowledge sharing, technical curiosity, and the durable relationships that have kept our community strong for more than a decade and a half.
In 2026, the celebration will take place on two continents: PUG Challenge Providence, hosted at the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel from 4–7 October, and PUG Challenge Amsterdam, hosted at Van der Valk Hotel Schiphol from 4–6 November. Together, these events continue the mission that has always defined PUG Challenge: bringing Progress professionals together to learn, exchange practical experience, and build lasting connections.
A Milestone That Matters
Since the first conference in Cologne in November 2010, PUG Challenge has grown from a regional gathering into an international platform for developers, architects, database administrators, consultants, partners, and IT leaders working with Progress technologies. The conference has evolved, adapted, and expanded, but its core identity has remained the same: real-world knowledge shared by practitioners, for practitioners.
The 15thedition is therefore not only a moment to look back at memorable presentations, valuable hallway conversations, and long-standing friendships. It is also an opportunity to look ahead—to the modernization of OpenEdge applications, the responsible use of new technologies, and the continued strength of a community that learns best when it learns together.
WITS and PUG Challenge: A Strong and Durable Relationship
For Worldwide IT Solutions (WITS), the PUG Challenge anniversary has special meaning. Just one year after WITS celebrated its 25th anniversary, we are proud to celebrate another important milestone with the wider Progress community. Founded and owned by Wim van der Ham, WITS has always believed that long-term value is created through deep expertise, trusted relationships, and continuous knowledge exchange.
Wim has participated in every PUG Challenge conference to date—sometimes as a speaker,most often as part of the organizing committee, and always as an enthusiastic Progress OpenEdge delegate committed to the spirit of the community.
That belief is also at the heart of PUG Challenge. Over the years, WITS has maintained a strong connection with the conference and with the people behind it. Through participation, contribution, and support, WITS has helped strengthen the link between technical expertise and practical business value for organizations that depend on Progress OpenEdge.
This relationship is durable because it is based on shared purpose. PUG Challenge exists to help the community grow through open exchange. WITS exists to help customers succeed with reliable, well-designed, and future-ready Progress solutions. When those two missions meet, the result is valuable content, meaningful dialogue, and practical ideas that attendees can bring back to their own teams and customers.
Two Conferences, One Global Community
PUG Challenge Providence will bring the community together in the United States from 4–7 October 2026, in collaboration with the Progress OpenEdge World Tour. With expert sessions, hands-on workshops, networking opportunities, and community events, Providence offers a strong platform for OpenEdge professionals across the Americas to connect and deepen their expertise.
One month later, PUG Challenge Amsterdam will welcome attendees in the Netherlands from 4–6 November 2026. The Amsterdam edition continues the European tradition of bringing together Progress users, developers, partners, and decision-makers for focused technical content, practical learning, and international collaboration.
Both events reflect the same spirit: sharing real-world solutions, discussing best practices, exploring future trends, and strengthening the network that connects the global OpenEdge ecosystem. Whether you attend in Providence, Amsterdam, or both, the value comes from the combination of technical depth and community connection.
Continuing to Deliver Valuable Content
At WITS, we see conferences like PUG Challenge as essential moments in the lifecycle of our community. They help us test ideas, share lessons learned from real customer situations, and discover how other organizations are solving similar challenges. They also remind us that Progress technology is not only about software; it is about the people who design, maintain, modernize, and rely on it every day.
As WITS moves forward after its own 25-year anniversary, our commitment remains clear: to keep contributing valuable content, practical expertise, and constructive energy to the Progress community. We look forward to meeting customers, partners, friends, and fellow OpenEdge professionals at PUG Challenge 2026 and to celebrating 15 years of a conference that continues to make our community stronger.
Join the Celebration
The 15th edition of PUG Challenge is a celebration of the past, present, and future of the Progress OpenEdge community. WITS is proud to be part of that story and excited to continue contributing to the conversations, content, and relationships that make PUG Challenge such a valuable event year after year.
We hope to see you in Providence or Amsterdam.
