Hall of Fame

Gerald Heller works as consultant and trainer on the topics of software product management, requirements management, and agile development.
He has more than 30 years of experience in large-scale, global distributed software development. During his professional career he covered almost every aspect of the product development lifecycle.

Prof. Dr. Guenther Ruhe was a distinguished member of the international academic community, most respected in particular for his research in the areas of software engineering and product management. He held the position of Industrial Research Chair in Software Engineering at the University of Calgary until his passing, leading a research team dedicated to establishing scientific excellence in Software Engineering Decision Support. In addition, Günther was the Founder and CEO of Expert Decisions Inc., a spin-off company from the University of Calgary established in 2003.

Guenther earned his Ph.D. in Operations Research in 1981, continuing in academia thereafter. He acquired a Doctor of Habilitation in Operations Research in Leipzig in 1988, and another in Informatics in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in 2001 following German reunification. From 2016, he held the position of Editor-in-Chief for the Information and Software Technology journal, published by Elsevier. His academic excellence earned him several awards, including the Alberta iCORE Award, the IBM Research Award, and the Microsoft Research Software Engineering Innovation Award.

As an influential ISPMA Fellow, Guenther made notable contributions to the ISPMA Body of Knowledge, both through his innovative research and active participation in various working groups. He was a regular speaker and contributor at ISPMA’s SPM Summits in Europe and India. His significant contributions to research and practice have left a lasting legacy.

Hans-Bernd Kittlaus is the owner and CEO of InnoTivum Consulting and works as a consultant, interim manager, and trainer for software organizations, particularly in software product management, SaaS, IT strategy, and business process management. Before he was Director of SIZ GmbH and Head of Software Product Management and Development units of IBM. He is Diplom-Informatiker, ISPMA Certified Software Product Manager, Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Certified PRINCE2 Practitioner, founding board member of ISPMA, and member of ACM and GI.

Prof. Dr. Samuel Fricker is a renowned scholar in the field of software product management, known for his in-depth knowledge and experience in cloud and edge computing, cybersecurity, and data-centered systems. His research has had profound effects on both academic discourse and industry practices. In addition to his academic roles, Samuel served as the first Chairman of the ISPMA and remained a Board Member for 12 years.

Samuel earned his Ph.D. from the University of Zurich in 2009. Subsequently,he has led a team of researchers and developers focused on cybersecurity in the Swiss digital infrastructure and banks. His hands-on experience with SMEs and multiple startups has provided him with valuable insights into the cybersecurity needs of these entities.

Possessing the rare ability to translate empirical research into practical engineering solutions, Samuel has emerged as a leading voice in the ISPMA. His contributions have substantially augmented the ISPMA Body of Knowledge. Furthermore, he co-authored the first edition of the ISPMA-compliant study guide on software product management. His extensive contributions to the software product management community have already left a lasting imprint on the field.

Prof. Dr. Sjaak Brinkkemper is an eminent figure in the fields of software product management and entrepreneurship. Currently, he serves as a Full Professor of Organization and Information at the Department of Information and Computing Sciences of Utrecht University. He leads a dedicated team that investigates how market conditions impact software development methodologies and processes.

Sjaak earned his Ph.D. from the University of Nijmegen in 1990 and has since then achieved considerable success both in academia and industry. His professional journey includes key roles such as Chief Architect at Baan and Consultant at Vanenburg Group. Moreover, Sjaak contributes to several influential journals including Business Informatics, European Journal of Information Systems, Journal of Database Management, Journal on Information Systems and e-Business Management, and Management Information Systems Quarterly as a member of the editorial boards.

Sjaak is a regular speaker at SPM Summits and a significant contributor to the ISPMA Body of Knowledge. His work has already left a lasting impact in the field of software product management.