I'm pleased and excited to announce that I just received the 2008 MVP Award (Visual Developer - Client Application Development) particularly for my work around Silverlight. This, especially when combined with the success we had in getting AIS into several important Silverlight programs at Microsoft, has really made a great start to 2008.

I'd like to extend my thanks to everyone at Microsoft and in the MVP community who was involved in that nomination and selection. I'm looking forward to some exciting work in 2008 with Silverlight and WPF!

My MVP Profile.

If you're not familiar with the MVP program, here's the information from the Microsoft MVP site:

The Microsoft MVP Award recognizes exceptional technical community leaders from around the world who voluntarily share their high quality, real world expertise with others. Microsoft MVPs are a highly select group of experts representing technology's best and brightest who share a deep commitment to community and a willingness to help others. Worldwide, there are over 100 million participants in technical communities; of these participants, there are fewer than 4,000 active Microsoft MVPs.

At Microsoft, we believe that technical communities enhance people's lives and the industry's success by providing users with the opportunity to have conversations about technology that catalyze change and innovation. Technical communities help users adopt new technologies more quickly and more effectively. Also, they help Microsoft product developers understand the "pulse" of our users and better meet our customers' needs. As the most active, expert participants in technical communities, MVPs are recognized and awarded for their inspirational commitment to technical communities.

In order to receive the Microsoft MVP Award, MVP nominees undergo a rigorous review process. Technical community members, current MVPs, and Microsoft personnel may nominate candidates. A panel that includes MVP team members and product group teams evaluate each nominee's technical expertise and voluntary community contributions for the past year. The panel considers the quality, quantity, and level of impact of the MVP nominee's contributions. Active MVPs receive the same level of scrutiny as other candidates each year.

MVP Award recipients reflect Microsoft's global customer base and the breadth of Microsoft's technologies. MVPs have been awarded in new categories such as Windows Live, Xbox, VSTO, Microsoft Dynamics, and Visual Developer Team System. A significant portion of new MVPs represent emerging markets in China, Russia, and Korea, as well as smaller markets like Ghana, Nepal, Macedonia, and Macao.

MVPs also represent the diversity of today's technical communities. Respecting the user's desire to get technical information in a variety of ways, Microsoft recognizes both online and offline community contributions. Reviewers consider the contributions that nominees make to traditional communities such as public newsgroups and third-party Web sites, as well as emerging community venues such as forums and blogs.

Microsoft MVPs are an amazing group of individuals. By sharing their knowledge and experiences and providing objective feedback, MVPs help people solve problems and discover new capabilities. It gives us great pleasure to recognize and award MVPs as our way of saying thank you for their demonstrated commitment to helping others in technical communities worldwide. We sincerely appreciate their efforts. Microsoft would like to congratulate and thank this year's MVPs.

Thanks again, and have a great 2008!