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The Importance of Good Partner Program Leadership

Two leaders in our partner sales organization, Wendy Stusrud and Mike Marinchak, have been named to CRN’s Channel Chiefs list for 2023.

Partner

Pure Storage has been 100% partner focused since our first FlashArray™ sale in 2011. At that time, we had one product available, a software-driven, all-flash stateless storage array that sough to disrupt legacy storage technology. Resellers around the world were intrigued. 

That was the beginning of a broad and deep ecosystem of Resellers, Managed Service Providers, Global System Integrators, Distributors, and Technology Alliance partners—and Pure would not be successful without them.

Why A Robust Partner Program Matters

Partners push us to do better, to think outside the storage box, and to imagine a world where storage as a service is the norm. It also takes an innovative approach to embrace the partner model wholeheartedly to keep success going and growing.

The Equinix Example

The solution we deliver with Equinix Metal is a great example of how our partners are building out their offerings with Pure. This solution embeds the full portfolio of Pure products, including FlashArray, FlashBlade®, and Portworx®

Meet a Pure Partner Leader: Mike Marinchak

I am honored to work with such a great partner sales team at Pure. It’s an added bonus that leaders at Pure have been recognized by CRN on their Channel Chiefs list for 2023. 

Since early 2022, California native Mike Marinchak has been at the helm of the Americas Partner Sales organization. He and his team work with organizations big and small, national and regional, to recruit, train, support, and reward partners who love Pure. He has made a career in the channel by working with partners in multiple industries, on both sides of the table. But it’s what he brings to the table that matters most: He inspires his team to work hard, stay focused, and have fun while achieving quarterly and annual goals. He is most definitely an overachiever and has racked up sales that were double, and even triple, quota.

Mike uses this spirit of competitiveness to encourage his team across the Americas to both outdo and support the wins and the achievements of our partners. This grit has helped Mike leave an indelible mark on Pure and the partners who are lucky enough to work with him each day. 

Setting a Partner-first Example 

My team at Pure thinks about partners every day, helping them find ways to engage effectively and win deals that are local, regional, or international. I’m honored to work with such determined and driven teammates who understand the importance of our 100% partner model. I’m also humbled to be included on the CRN Channel Chiefs 2023 list and credit my entire team for allowing me the honor and privilege of leading such an amazing and skilled sales organization.

Learn more about what’s new in the Pure Partner Program.