Q&A with Mark Haley:

Tech company CEO strives to keep convention venues on the cutting edge

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Steve Marcus

Smart City Networks President Mark Haley helps convention venues stay ahead of technological curve.

Mon, Aug 3, 2015 (2 a.m.)

Mark Haley is president of Smart City Networks, which provides telecommunications technology for events such as San Diego Comic-Con and companies such as Microsoft, McDonald’s and IBM.

What is your role as Smart City Networks president?

My role is to ensure I have the right people in the right places to deliver the best services and technology to our customers and clients on a daily basis. Smart City provides services to more than 3,000 conventions and meetings annually. Our company currently serves 35 convention centers, stadiums and public-assembly facilities across the country.

Smart City’s services address a wide range of needs, including providing wired and wireless Internet services, phone services and digital signage solutions. We design, install and maintain data, voice, electrical and utility platforms, coupled with voice, video and data network engineering, security and monitoring.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The most challenging aspect of my position is setting priorities. There are 30 to 50 very cool technology initiatives that we could undertake at any given time, but there is a question of resources and focus. We don’t want to overextend our team’s resources and deliver projects half baked. We are working to refine our focus to the most crucial two or three projects and do them well.

What are you reading right now?

“A Higher Call” by Adam Makos. It’s the story of an act of chivalry by German fighter pilot Franz Stigler in assisting a severely damaged B-17 flown by American pilot Charlie Brown. Stigler helps Brown get his damaged plane and injured crew back to England.

What do you do after work?

I have been striving to add steps to my Fitbit total. We have a family challenge going on, and I certainly don’t want to finish last.

Describe your management style.

Evangelical. I have to “preach” to my staff and team members so they know about my passion for the meetings industry and how everyone can assist in our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers that their technology is going to work right every day.

What is your dream job, outside of your current field?

I would like to be Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and search the country for great local restaurants. My wife and I love visiting new cities and finding local cafés or pubs that are doing incredibly creative things with local ingredients. Here in Las Vegas, restaurants like Carson Kitchen and Glutton downtown are great examples of this.

Whom do you admire and why?

Abraham Lincoln. How can you not admire a man who dealt with such adversity yet was able to keep his wits about him at all times? His ability to always keep his eye on the ultimate objective of keeping the union together was his greatest attribute.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People with negative attitudes. You get a chance every day to choose your attitude and approach to life. Why not choose a positive outlook?

What is something people might not know about you?

I have become a big fan of the arts, especially Broadway musicals. We are season-ticket holders for the Broadway series at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts and have loved just about every show we have seen.

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