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Channel Mic Check

Channel Mic Check

PartnerFirst and the Making of First-Rate Experiences

Aug 20, 2026 · 14 min · 10 segments

Digital transformation is a contact sport. Albeit virtually. That’s what Nate Herz, our Senior Vice President and Regional Chief Informational Officer for North America, shares as he covers two…

Digital transformation is a contact sport. Albeit virtually. That’s what Nate Herz, our Senior Vice President and Regional Chief Informational Officer for North America, shares as he covers two ambitious topics: PartnerFirst and customer zero. PartnerFirst allows you to transact, train and expand your business within one digital suite of offerings. It gives you access to TD SYNNEX from within the tools you use every day. This level of innovation at TD SYNNEX is driven by our internal approach, one that’s become a cultural one: customer zero. Listen in to learn how these two concepts can make a bi...

Digital transformation is a contact sport. Albeit virtually. That’s what Nate Herz, our Senior Vice President and Regional Chief Informational Officer for North America, shares as he covers two…

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Speakers: Nate HerzGuestCalhoun McKinneyHost

Top entities: TD Synnex×6 Microsoft×3 North America×2 LinkedIn×3 Cisco Webex×2

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot political

Meet Nate Herz0:58 – 2:16

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

0:58

So Nate, talk to us a little bit about day in the life of you and your role.

N

1:03

Yeah, so I'm Senior Vice President and the North American CIO.

N

1:08

So what I think about every day is how we can use technology to improve our company and improve the way that we work with our partners and improve the effectiveness of the IT ecosystem.

N

1:20

Outside of work, I love to ski.

N

1:22

I'm starting to learn how to surf.

N

1:24

So that's very painful and very humbling.

N

1:27

I make wine.

N

1:28

I drink more wine.

N

1:29

But yeah, that's me.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:33

I love it.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:33

Yeah.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:34

You, you've always been into the adventure sports and I feel like at least once every two years, we've got you on like crutches or a scooter or something, something from your extreme sports.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:44

And, and I see you at events who are like, well, no, what happened? And you'll just get asked over and over again.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:49

And you're very Very patient with those questions.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:52

But you know how to have a good time is what I like about you.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:57

And you've got that adventurous spirit, which is why I think you're kind of the perfect person to lead something like digital transformation, because there's a ton of unknowns that come with it.

N

2:08

It's a contact sport.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

2:11

Well, a virtual contact story.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

2:13

Yeah, it's got a lot going on.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

2:16

All right.

TD SynnexCompanyCorporation
93%6 mentions
MicrosoftCompanyTechnology company
79%3 mentions
North AmericaContinentContinent
64%2 mentions
LinkedInSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
50%3 mentions
Cisco WebexCompanyWeb conferencing company
29%2 mentions
Microsoft OutlookSoftware ApplicationSoftware
29%2 mentions
SlackSoftware ApplicationMobile application
7%2 mentions

Enterprise SoftwareTechnology
Information Technology DistributionBusiness
Partner Ecosystem StrategyBusiness > Information Technology Distribution
TD SYNNEX Partner First StrategyBusiness > Information Technology Distribution > Partner Ecosystem Strategy
Operational and Commercial Excellence for PartnersBusiness > Information Technology Distribution > Partner Ecosystem Strategy > TD SYNNEX Partner First Strategy
Partner Experience PlatformsTechnology > Enterprise Software
Unified Partner First Digital PlatformTechnology > Enterprise Software > Partner Experience Platforms
Business Application ConnectivityTechnology > Systems Integration
Partner First Digital BridgeTechnology > Systems Integration > Business Application Connectivity
Customer Zero Technology ValidationTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Business Process Automation
Channel Partner ManagementBusiness > B2B Relationships
Collaborative Product Development and AdoptionBusiness > B2B Relationships > Channel Partner Management
Partner Feedback, Trust, and Joint Business GrowthBusiness > B2B Relationships > Channel Partner Management > Collaborative Product Development and Adoption
B2B RelationshipsBusiness
Business Process AutomationTechnology > Artificial Intelligence
Systems IntegrationTechnology
Technology
Business
Artificial IntelligenceTechnology

Meet Nate Herz0:58 – 2:16

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

0:58

So Nate, talk to us a little bit about day in the life of you and your role.

N

1:03

Yeah, so I'm Senior Vice President and the North American CIO.

N

1:08

So what I think about every day is how we can use technology to improve our company and improve the way that we work with our partners and improve the effectiveness of the IT ecosystem.

N

1:20

Outside of work, I love to ski.

N

1:22

I'm starting to learn how to surf.

N

1:24

So that's very painful and very humbling.

N

1:27

I make wine.

N

1:28

I drink more wine.

N

1:29

But yeah, that's me.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:33

I love it.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:33

Yeah.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:34

You, you've always been into the adventure sports and I feel like at least once every two years, we've got you on like crutches or a scooter or something, something from your extreme sports.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:44

And, and I see you at events who are like, well, no, what happened? And you'll just get asked over and over again.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:49

And you're very Very patient with those questions.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:52

But you know how to have a good time is what I like about you.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

1:57

And you've got that adventurous spirit, which is why I think you're kind of the perfect person to lead something like digital transformation, because there's a ton of unknowns that come with it.

N

2:08

It's a contact sport.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

2:11

Well, a virtual contact story.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

2:13

Yeah, it's got a lot going on.

C

Calhoun McKinneyHost

2:16

All right.

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