Meet the Chiefs: Mark Conley, SolidFire
This week in Meet the Chiefs we chatted with Mark Conley, director of Worldwide Channel Sales at SolidFire. As channel chief, Conley
![Meet the Chiefs: Mark Conley, SolidFire Meet the Chiefs: Mark Conley, SolidFire](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/blt8a02f42a7a9c328b/65246d1e37a16557a519b7c1/BWMark_Conley_0.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Mark Conley, director of Worldwide Channels at SolidFire
Conley: While in grade and middle school, I mowed neighborhood lawns, acted as babysitter for younger kids and bought/sold candy to other middle school students. In this last “job,” I would go to the grocery store before school, buy candy, mark it up and sell it at school. This was short-lived. When my dad learned I was doing this, he told me it was wrong to profit off friends.
The VAR Guy says: It sounds like you were quite the enterprising young man!
Conley: Too many to name. I grew up a “car guy” and lived in Detroit for 25 years, and I have never lost my passion for cars. I bought my first car, with the money from those first jobs, at age 15. It was an Opel Kadet, modified with 12 speakers, velvet-lined interior and no second gear. My current dream car is the one I own, it’s a 2015 Ram 1500 four-door pickup truck. It strikes the right balance between “cool” and “cost.”
The VAR Guy says: Velvet seats? Now that's a cool addition to a car. As long as you don't slide off, that is.
Conley: Key West. Our son and daughter-in-law live there and run a couple of ice cream shops, which are part of our family business. Once I set foot on the island, my stress level drops to zero.
The VAR Guy says: Does that mean you get free ice cream whenever you want? That sounds like a childhood dream come true!
Conley: "Big Fish" by Daniel Wallace. It’s a wonderful story of big dreamers, lifelong adventure, love and reconciliation.
The VAR Guy says: This fictional tale of a son attempting to learn the truth behind his father's tall tales was given the silver-screen treatment in 2003 and stars Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter in another classic Tim Burton film.
Conley: A Saddleback leather briefcase, advertised to last so long that your heirs will fight over it.
The VAR Guy says: Fashionable and practical. Nice pick!
Conley: The only television I always have on my schedule are Detroit Red Wings games. As a kid, growing up in Central Illinois, we hardly knew that hockey even existed. When we moved to Detroit, our son began playing hockey, as did I. We’ve been hooked ever since. Is it coincidence that the Wings have made the playoffs every years since we’ve been fans? I think not!
The VAR Guy says: We don't know much about hockey, but it sounds like you are definitely the reason for their streak of luck! Keep watching!
Conley: A lawyer. When I was 13, I had a teacher, Mr. Harvey, who inspired me. When he asked everyone what they wanted to be when they grew up, I told him I thought I might want to be a lawyer. He never forgot that and encouraged me the whole school year. It didn’t turn out to be the best fit for me, but I’ll always appreciate the confidence Mr. Harvey had in me.
The VAR Guy says: You'll hear no objection from us on this one, as being a lawyer sounds pretty cool. But we're glad you turned out to be a channel chief. The defense rests.
Conley: "How Green Was My Valley," a John Ford picture from the early '40s, starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara (swoon) and a young Roddy McDowell. It’s the story of a Welsh mining town, their struggles and the shaping of a young man’s character by the efforts of the entire “village.”
The VAR Guy says: Wow, this is a really golden oldie! Like most good movies, "How Green Was My Valley" is based on a book by author Richard Llewellyn, who also penned the plays "Poison Pen" and "The Silk Noose," among others.
Conley: "How Green Was My Valley," a John Ford picture from the early '40s, starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara (swoon) and a young Roddy McDowell. It’s the story of a Welsh mining town, their struggles and the shaping of a young man’s character by the efforts of the entire “village.”
The VAR Guy says: Wow, this is a really golden oldie! Like most good movies, "How Green Was My Valley" is based on a book by author Richard Llewellyn, who also penned the plays "Poison Pen" and "The Silk Noose," among others.
This week in Meet the Chiefs we chatted with Mark Conley, director of Worldwide Channel Sales at SolidFire. As channel chief for the flash storage platform vendor, Conley runs SolidFire's channel sales and operations and also works to boost partner knowledge surrounding the company's portfolio.
Conley has served in several executive level channel roles throughout his career, including a six-year run as executive director of North American Channels at CommVault and two years as central region channel sales director at Sun Microsystems.
What is Meet the Chiefs?
Meet the Chiefs shines the spotlight on the channel’s head honchos and offers an opportunity to learn a little bit about the person beyond his or her company profile. Click on each photo to learn more about the channel chief you’re viewing.
Want to be included in an upcoming Meet the Chiefs? Send an email to The VAR Guy Associate Editor Michael Cusanelli at [email protected] for more information. He’s really good at answering emails on time, we promise.
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