John Kelley
John Kelley joined the Circadence board of directors in November 2009. Previously the chairman and CEO of McDATA Corporation (Nasdaq listed), Mr. Kelley rebuilt the management team; introduced multiple products simultaneously on a global basis; acquired and integrated both private and public companies; modernized the company’s aging business processes and systems to meet compliance requirements and prepare for growth; and ultimately grew the company from a $200 million to $630 million annual revenue stream during one of the most tumultuous times for the technology industry.
In February 2007, Brocade Corporation acquired McDATA in a stock transaction valued at just under $1 billion.
Prior to joining McDATA, Mr. Kelley served as executive vice president of networks at Qwest Communications (NYSE listed) from July 2000 to December 2000 after its acquisition of US West Communications (NYSE listed). Before the acquisition, he served as president of wholesale and interconnect markets for US West from May 1998 to June 2000. From March 1995 to April 1998, Mr. Kelley served as vice president and general manager of large business and government accounts, and simultaneously held the position of president of federal services for US West.
Before joining US West, Mr. Kelley was the area president for Mead Corporation’s Zellerbach Southwestern Division and vice president and general manager for the Industrial Products Group from 1991 to 1995. Prior to his assignments at Mead, he held a number of senior and sales management positions at Annatek, Friden-Alcatel, and Xerox Corporation.
Mr. Kelley’s professional activities have included being a member of the board of directors of Polycom Corporation since 2000, and he is currently chair of its Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Kelley is the current chairman of the board of CereScan, Inc., a Denver-based brain scanning company focused on brain disorders and traumatic injuries. He is also a board member of three venture-backed startup companies: 3Leaf Systems, Stored IQ, and Aztek Networks. He serves as a senior advisor to two privately held technology companies, including one language-learning entity based in Beijing, China. Mr. Kelley previously served on the board of directors of Captaris Corporation, a recently acquired publicly held company in Redmond, Washington.
Mr. Kelley is active in a variety of non-public activities. Since 1997, he has been a board member of the Colorado Women’s Vision Foundation "Allies Group," whose mission is to advance and retain corporate women leaders. From 1997 to 1999, he served on the Marshall School of Telecommunication’s Management Advisory Board at the University of Southern California, and in 2004 he was appointed to the Colorado Governor’s Commission on Science and Technology for two years. He was the executive sponsor for the US West Association of Black Telecommunications Professionals from 1998 to 2000. He currently serves as vice chair of the board of directors at Mount St. Vincent Home, an institution serving children with emotional and behavioral disorders. He has been the national vice chairman for INROADS, Inc., an organization supporting the development and placement of talented minority youths. And Mr. Kelley has actively served on a variety of committees and support projects for the American Red Cross, United Way, Special Olympics, and the Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. Kelley has been a frequent keynote speaker focusing on technology, leadership, best practices management, and corporate ethics. He has been asked to address such organizations as the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business Deans, the University of Colorado School of Business, Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, Denver University, Colorado State University School of Business, the Communications Managers Association of America, American Electronics Association, and the Computer Software Industry Association of Colorado.
Mr. Kelley holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Missouri, St. Louis. A native of Missouri, he currently resides in Golden, Colorado.
