System Administrator Appreciation Day is coming up on July 25, 2025. This year, we’re taking things to a whole new level of well-earned recognition. That’s right — we’re rolling out the red carpet, cueing the triumphant orchestral soundtrack, and launching the first-ever PDQ Sysadmin Hall of Fame. Because if anyone deserves their own Hall of Fame, it’s the IT pros keeping everything from printers to patching from spiraling into chaos.
Recognize your IT hero
Know an IT pro who's calm under pressure, fluent in deciphering help desk tickets, and could use some appreciation? Submit their story to the 2025 Sysadmin Hall of Fame.
What is the Sysadmin Hall of Fame?
The Sysadmin Hall of Fame is our way of giving back to the people who give it their all day in and day out. We’re honoring sysadmins who:
Keep cool under fire
Uplift their teams and communities
Deliver “it’s fixed” with terrifying consistency
Basically, if you or someone you know has saved the day more times than Batman, we want to hear about it.
Why nominate a sysadmin?
Consider this:
According to the 2025 State of Sysadmin, burnout and workload are top concerns among sysadmins.
34% of sysadmins report being more stressed at their job than they were a year ago.
Despite their concerns and stress, 65% of sysadmins expect their team size to stay the same. Another 6% think it will shrink.
It’s high-stakes, high-pressure work. That’s why recognition — real, public, meaningful — matters more than ever.
But what’s in it for you (besides the warm fuzzies of doing something good for a great IT pro)?
You get a Hall of Fame T-shirt (yes, just for nominating — we believe in reward-based systems)
They get a shot at glory, complete with:
A shiny custom trophy
A featured profile on our site and the PDQ Webcast
Exclusive PDQ swag (you know you want it)
Eternal* Sysadmin Hall of Fame status
*Okay, internet-eternal. But still.
You can even nominate yourself. No judgment. We respect the hustle.
“Sysadmins are the reason modern work doesn’t collapse into digital anarchy. We see the effort, the brilliance, and the long hours. We built the Sysadmin Hall of Fame to celebrate it.”
— Dan Cook, PDQ CEO
What makes a great nominee?
We're not just looking for technical chops (though that's part of it). We're spotlighting the folks with ...
Technical expertise: Deep knowledge, sharp instincts, and probably a few custom scripts
Peer respect: From teammates, users, and even leadership
Meaningful impact: Not just in uptime but in mentorship, culture, and IT community contributions
Have a story of a sysadmin who saved the company from a catastrophic outage? Or someone who’s made mentoring the next-gen IT crowd their side quest? We’re here for it.
The more details you share, the better. Make your case. Bring the legend to life.
Submit a nomination here
Deadline: July 11, 2025
How to nominate a sysadmin for awards
Whether you’re nominating someone for the Sysadmin Hall of Fame (highly recommended) or another award program — internal, external, formal, or just a well-deserved kudos — here’s what makes a strong nomination:
The story: What’s their “save the day” moment? Tell about the time they pulled off the impossible or quietly handled something mission-critical before most people noticed it was broken.
The impact: How has their work improved things — for users, for teammates, for the business? Think big-picture and everyday wins.
The reputation: Are they the one people count on? The go-to for calm in the chaos? That matters more than any job title.
Specifics go a long way. The more context you give, the easier it is to understand their contributions and why they deserve recognition.
Should I nominate someone (or myself)?
Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Also yes.
We know most sysadmins don’t chase the spotlight. They’re too busy making sure everything “just works.” But nominating someone — whether it’s a teammate, a mentor, or yourself — isn’t about ego. It’s about recognition.
It’s a chance to highlight the kind of work that never makes it into the changelog but keeps everything from falling apart. Quiet competence deserves a little noise.
According to the 2025 State of Sysadmin, 14% of sysadmins don't get the support they need from their executive team. Creating visibility through recognition might help you get the support you deserve.
So whether you’re calling out a colleague or finally giving yourself some well-earned credit, know this: It’s not bragging. It’s appreciation.
Everyone deserves a little applause now and then. Let’s make sure the right people get it.
Even if your nominee doesn't win, you’ll walk away with something better than a gold star: a T-shirt, some respect, and maybe even a few admiring glances in the break room.
Nominate a legend today
So go ahead — shine a spotlight on the IT stars who make your life easier. Whether they’re quietly scripting their way to efficiency or putting out metaphorical (and sometimes literal) fires, they deserve recognition.
Nominate a sysadmin
Deadline: July 11, 2025
Webcast celebration: July 24, 2025
The Sysadmin Hall of Fame awaits. Let's give sysadmins the standing ovation they’ve earned.
Join us for the induction
We’ll be announcing and celebrating our inaugural Sysadmin Hall of Fame inductees during a special PDQ Live webcast on July 24. Tune in for tales of legendary saves, hard-earned wins, and the IT folks who make it all look easy.
It’s our way of giving credit where credit is due ... because behind every stable network and painless Patch Tuesday, there’s a sysadmin who made it happen.
