The Soft Pitch

Admired is such a great word…not always the best or most popular.  Admired means so much more.

This week we (Avnet) were named the most admired company in the wholesaler: electronics category based on the annual Fortune magazine survey. We were first in 8 of 9 categories voted by our peers…like winning the Oscars.  Last year we were a few votes short of 1st…this time we went past the barrier…now I know how Chuck Yeager felt.  I gotta tell ya, it feels good…. 

It is recognition for all our folks efforts around the world to help customers and be the most trusted channel for our suppliers.  Our brand continues to grow due to their success of our engaged employees, but the reality is it started with Roy Vallee who had a vision the way he wanted his team to act everyday in good times or bad. I have been honored to be in staff meetings for 10 years. His management team is stellar, as are our leaders in 73 countries. If you do not learn to how to be a better person, a better manager, and how to be successful hanging out with them you are asleep at the switch.

Roy’s leadership team has changed a little bit over the years but his mentorship, message and communication has been consistent. Stay focused on what we can control, provide value, make a good return, live our core values, have fun, help in the community and we will outperform the bad guys. He is one the most admired people in our industry…Hall of Fame on the computer side 2 years ago and NEDA honored him on the components side last year. This week may have been the cherry on the sundae for Roy. Now that our corporation he has lead as CEO and Chairman for 10 years has been noticed by others and a great magazine…that will make him very happy and proud…as it does us.all..he and we will thank everyone at Avnet plus our vendors, suppliers, customers and shareholders and then we will get back to work, to stay on top of the premier list with some great companies and competitors.

We will smile for quite awhile…with business being tough this has been a gift for our spirits. Thank you fellow employees, Thank you voters. Thank you Fortune.

NBC’s Apprentice may have worn out it’s welcome or wow factor but in my opinion it is the best educational show for social skills business people on the planet.  Want to learn how to or how not to work with others…watch this show.

My favorite two moments in show history…when a blond lady was really the best performer the whole show…the last event after everything was over she left in her limo and said goodbye to teammates and they went home in a taxi. Her competitor did the opposite and invited her teammates in his  limo…I noticed her lack of “team” effort…it was noticed by the others and she blew it.

The other was when a guy won the show…Donald offered to give his finalist a job too (which was very nice of Trump)…he asked the winning guy…he said no.  He came across as a jerk and no winner and he has NEVER been heard of since.

Jerks are rare but my guess is they will increase in the future because young people have no social skills, because their on their damn computers all the time.

Our folks are team orienated…espeically when it comes to helping in the community. Karen Zalesky from our computer group was just honored by the YMCA last week…as was our Chicago office last year for helping with a food bank, our Tampa office won an award for doing a great job at an event raising money with customers and suppliers around to enjoy…I love going to our local 46th st sales office, because Betty our welcome desk star is also doing something nice for people who need it with the local sales team.  The stories are endless globally for us, an EBV leader runs a soceer team…if interested, see our community blog.