NetApp Channel Chief Jeff McCullough Exits

Jeff McCullough is no longer channel chief at storage vendor NetApp, CRN has learned.

McCullough, who until recently was vice president of Americas partner sales, spent just over two years at the vendor. He did not respond to a CRN request for more information by press time.

Two NetApp solution providers and a NetApp spokesperson confirmed that McCullough has left the company.

 [Related: Channel VP Jeff McCullough On How NetApp Partners Can Profit By Selling AWS, Azure, Google]

Taking over as channel chief at NetApp as of Sept. 16 is Jim Elder, a two-plus-year NetApp veteran currently working with commercial sales and distribution. Prior to working at NetApp, Elder spent nearly three years as director of Americas commercial sales and go-to-market at SanDisk, and previously held sales roles at Hewlett-Packard and AMD.

In a statement emailed Thursday to CRN, NetApp said, "Jeff McCullough has decided to leave NetApp. We thank him for his contributions and wish him the best. Jim Elder will assume leadership as the new Channel Chief for the Americas."

McCullough was the runner-up in the 2019 CRN Channel Madness championship.

McCullough provided continuity in NetApp's channel program, said John Woodall, vice president of engineering at Integrated Archive Systems, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based solution provider and longtime NetApp channel partner.

"We didn't see any disruptions in NetApp's channel under his watch," Woodall told CRN. "Kudos for that. And Jeff was a more vocal channel champion than his predecessors, and very personable."

Woodall met Elder last week at the NetApp partner advisory board meeting, and said he likes what he has seen so far.

"Jim seems to fit the DNA, the culture, of [NetApp CEO] George Kurian's team," he said. "When we saw him with the NetApp executive team, it felt like he belonged in the room. At the meeting, he did a lot of listening to partners, and seemed grateful to be with us."

One solution provider whose company works closely with NetApp told CRN that NetApp filled McCullough's position pretty quickly.  

"Jeff was an effective custodian of NetApp's longstanding channel legacy," the solution provider said.

2019 has been a tough year on NetApp executives.

The company in August saw the departures of two executives: Joel Reich, executive vice president of NetApp's Storage Systems and Software Business Unit, and Thomas Stanley, senior vice president of the Americas.

In July, Tom Mendoza, NetApp's vice chairman and its first sales leader, this week officially retired from the company after a 25-year run.

July also saw the move by Jean English, NetApp's senior vice president and chief marketing officer, depart to take on a new role as chief marketing officer at Santa Clara, Calif.-based cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks.