Happy trails to Cris Conde

Some of you may know I've been on the road the past few weeks. A big social media blog is coming soon. But I wanted to get in a few words about Cris Conde while the news is still fresh.

I'd like to throw off my journalist hat for a moment and speak as a person.
CEOs don't get a lot of love in this post-economic crisis age, but if there was ever a CEO that you'd want to hug - it would be Cris Conde. (I think I did once as well).

While a senior executive at Sungard, Conde always had time for a 24 year old, who'd never worked in a bank (and got a 'D' in calculus) who found herself reporting on derivatives engineering and risk management technology. My questions were never met with impatience, my requests for responses before deadline were always respected.

A number of years ago, while having a post SIA (now Sifma) drink in a dive bar underneath the 9th street subway, Conde asked why Sungard didn't always get favorable press in my publication. My response, "Because you're the bad guys Cris. You're the big, huge hulking vendor that banks buy, not because Sungard is the best technology, but because no one gets fired for buying from Sungard (or an IBM, or Reuters etc..) Sungard is 'the comfortable' Cris and journalists afflict the comfortable" (I had had a bit to drink at this point)

What do you think Cris did at this point? Cancel all company subscriptions to my newsletter (as Mike Bloomberg did a few years earlier)? Threaten to give all exclusives to Wall Street & Technology from then on? Well, a number of years later, I and a group of colleagues attempted to launch a new print magazine into the marketplace. Cris Conde helped out a struggling (and ultimately doomed) startup and his interview was our first cover story. He told us that he remembered our conversation, and saw the grain of truth in the, slightly squiffy, rant.

I've talked with a number of Sungard staff over the past week who say Cris will be greatly missed. Cris has a new baby, and from what I've heard, he is looking forwarded to a little rest and retirement. (although, I predict in a couple of years, you may see his name pop up in connection to a start up)

But for now, I wish Cris a lot of rest and happiness. He was a CEO, but also a true 'class act'.