The Java Community Process (JCP) program celebrates success.
This year, the annual JCP Awards recognized contributions in two categories: JCP Member/Participant of the Year and the Java in Education Community Award.
The winners were selected by the JCP Executive Committee (EC) Members and announced at the JCP Community Party on 17 March 2026 in Belmont, CA.
Don Raab has promoted Open Source Software (OSS) through the Java community. He has been extremely helpful in promoting developers to be able to come forward and advance their careers with contributions to open source. As a representative of BNY Mellon, he served for years on the JCP Executive Committee, during which he co-led the Java Ecosystem Working Group. Since then he has continued to champion Java throughout the Java developer community.
As a member of the Java SE Expert Group, Christoph has contributed to the ongoing development of the Java platform for years, while also representing SAP as an alternate on the Executive Committee.
Andrew Haley has been an Expert on every Java SE Platform JSR, from Java SE 7 (JSR 336) in 2010 to JSR Java SE 25 (JSR 400) in 2025. In addition, Andrew demonstrates the long-term value of specifications and compatibility with APIs from the Java Community Process through his dedication to the implementation of Java SE 8 (JSR 337) in the OpenJDK 8 Updates Project.
The Japan Java User Group (JJUG) continues to demonstrate outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to the global Java community. Through their flagship event, the JJUG Cross Community Conference (CCC), they bring together many Java developers and thought leaders to exchange knowledge, foster education, and collaborate on industry advancements. JJUG's consistent delivery of high-quality technical content, including hands-on workshops and expert talks, has provided invaluable learning opportunities for Java community members of all levels throughout Japan and beyond.
From 2023 to 2025, JJUG was elected by the JCP community and served on the JCP Executive Committee, actively contributing important topics and perspectives to shape the future of Java. Their collaborative spirit and meaningful participation in international Java initiatives have established JJUG as a cornerstone of the global Java ecosystem. For these reasons, JJUG is a truly deserving candidate for the JCP Member/Participant of the Year award.
Otávio has been working to support the JCP and maintain the JSRs that he co-led (JSR 354 Money and Currency API and JSR 385 Units of Measurement API 2.0), giving talks and making appearances throughout the year. He is also an active member of the JCP Executive Committee, representing SouJava as its alternate for years.
The Hokkaido Java User Group (Hokkaido JUG) has made a significant impact on the Java in Education initiative in Hokkaido by fostering an inclusive community where both students and professionals develop practical Java skills through hands-on workshops and meetups. Despite the challenges that local JUGs often face in starting up and sustaining momentum, Hokkaido JUG has built a thriving, supportive environment. Their success serves as an inspiring model for other JUGs looking to strengthen Java education and community engagement in their own regions.
Hokkaido JUG leader Hiroto Yamakawa was interviewed by the JCP Program Office in recognition of JUG's contributions to the Java community and Java in Education: From Hokkaido to the World: How Hiroto Yamakawa Built a Java Community that Inspires.
Barranquilla Java Users Group (JUGBAQ) is nominated for the Java in Education Community Award in recognition of its outstanding and sustained contributions to Java education in Colombia.
One of JUGBAQ's most impactful initiatives was DevJVM, a large-scale educational event that brought together more than 250 attendees, including students, young professionals, and experienced developers. DevJVM focused on modern Java development practices, backend architecture, and real-world industry use cases, providing high-quality technical content aligned with current Java standards and ecosystem evolution.
Beyond large events, JUGBAQ has actively collaborated with academic institutions, including Universidad Libre and other universities in the region, to promote Java education through talks, workshops, and community-driven learning activities. These collaborations have helped bridge the gap between academia and industry, enabling students to gain practical exposure to Java technologies and professional development practices.
Through its consistent focus on education, community growth, and collaboration with universities, Barranquilla Java Users Group has demonstrated a strong commitment to empowering the next generation of Java developers and strengthening the Java ecosystem in Latin America.
GSJUG deserves the Java in Education Community Award because it is closely connected to education and makes it easy for students to plug into a real Java community. The group meets monthly at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, and two Drew faculty members serve on the leadership team. That relationship gives undergraduates, especially Computer Science and Cybersecurity students, straightforward access to meetings and a steady invitation from professors to participate.
What sets GSJUG apart is the care it takes to meet students where they are. College students often have limited exposure to the realities of enterprise development, so GSJUG speakers start with the basics before moving into advanced material. A talk on Spring Boot, for example, begins by explaining the problems Spring Boot is designed to solve and how it approaches them. GSJUG also reserves one meeting each year for student lightning talks. Those talks give students a stage to share what they have learned and to build confidence speaking in public, and the sessions draw strong attendance because students bring friends along. Like all GSJUG events, the lightning talks are live-streamed, extending their educational value beyond the room.
GSJUG also invests in the broader pipeline. It invites Drew alumni who work as Java developers to speak about their roles, helping students connect coursework to real careers. The group reaches high school students as well, supported by an advisory board member who teaches computer science at Madison High School and by visits from GSJUG leaders to speak with programming clubs and classes. Looking ahead, GSJUG has a clear plan to grow its educational impact by involving nearby universities and additional local schools, expanding opportunities for students across the area.
Java User Group Philippines, led by Tristan Mahinay, hosts meetups regularly throughout the year to get involved, collaborate, and learn Java from each other and from other organizations. It has created a wiki with resources for students of Java, and has integrated Java in Education into their curriculum and focused on students and young professionals learning Java.
JCP Member/Participant of the Year - This award recognizes the corporate or individual member (either Member or Participant) who has made the most significant positive impact on the community in the past year. Leadership, investment in the community, and innovation are some of the qualities that EC Members look for in voting for this award.
Java in Education Community Award - Since 2020, the Java in Education initiative has been enlisting Java User Groups to assist in promoting Java in education institutions around the world. This award recognizes the Java User Group that has accomplished the most outstanding work in promoting Java to the next generation of developers.
