About Bob

Hey there! I'm Bob Pusateri, a database and software engineer, systems architect, and consultant specializing in the Microsoft Data Platform. I find myself working most often with Azure SQL Database, SQL Server, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and Azure Cosmos DB. I'm one of the few Microsoft Certified Masters of SQL Server, and the youngest person ever to earn that certification. I was also a Microsoft Data Platform MVP from 2019 until 2024.

I am a speaker, author, blogger, volunteer, and conference organizer in the data community. You can read more about the many ways I stay involved below.

My first experience with a database occurred when I was in elementary school: I remember trying to figure out the difference between "spreadsheet" and "database" in Microsoft Works. I later graduated to Microsoft Access and started selling software written with it while in high school. In college, I began working with Visual FoxPro, and then the Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE), which led me to SQL Server and where I am today.

Community Involvement

I'm proud to be a Redgate Community Ambassador and a past leader of the Chicago SQL Server User Group. I'm also the founder and president of the Chicago SQL Association, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit dedicated to providing free training opportunities on the Microsoft Data Platform in the Chicagoland area.

I'm one of the lead organizers for Data Saturday Chicago. We hosted our most recent event in 2026, and have also previously held SQL Saturday Chicago 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

I am a regular speaker at events such as PASS Data Community Summit, SQLBits, DataGrillen, SQL Saturday, and Data Saturday events worldwide. Slides and demos from past presentations are available on GitHub.

For a complete list of my community activities, check out my community page.

What I Studied

I have an MS in Computer Science with a concentration in database systems from DePaul University.
Before that, I earned my BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I played clarinet in the Marching Illini and spent the best five years of my life. (I-L-L!)

How to Contact Me

What About Disclaimers and Copyrights?

They're a necessity, but I do my best to keep them short and sweet. Here goes!

Creative Commons License

Contrary to popular belief, this does give you the right to copy, but only under certain circumstances. My blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. This means:

  • You're free to copy, distribute, and transmit my work.
  • You must attribute my work in the manner specified by me (but not in any way that suggests that I endorse you or your use of my work).
  • You may not use my work for commercial purposes without my express written permission.
  • You may not alter, transform, or build upon my work without my express written permission.