Sam Parker is CNET Networks' senior vice president, network, responsible for managing the shared resources that help the company's business units be more competitive.

Sam joined CNET Networks in 1996 as director of business development. Soon after, he became director of product development for the company's Snap.com portal initiative. After the launch of Snap! and a 20 percent investment by NBC, Sam moved to Snap! LLC, which was technically a separate company from CNET Networks but had many close ties. Sam departed from CNET Networks when Snap! went public in 2000. He then returned in 2001 as senior vice president of Global Publishing Services, which was merged in 2004 with Business Operations to create the Network department that Sam runs today.

Sam began his career as a product manager and evangelist at Apple. He earned his BA in history from Yale University and today applies his passion for history to his role within CNET Networks, where he makes sure the company learns from the lessons of its past and shares best practices across the organization.

Sam lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, daughter and son, where he pursues his passion for all kinds of media, including music, video, books, and magazines, as well as outdoor activities, including fishing, skiing, and windsurfing.