The Soft Pitch

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

Yesterday we (Avnet) were named the most admired company in the wholesaler: electronics category based on the annual Fortune magazine survey AGAIN. Two years in a row voted by our peers…like winning the Oscars. I gotta tell ya, it feels good….it also take the pressure off that we were not one hit wonders. 

This recognition validates our hard work in so many areas of the company and by so many of our people….even in tough times. In this year’s Fortune list, Avnet retained the top position overall in its category and ranked first in eight out of nine reputation attributes including innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, and quality of service.

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. Last year I praised Roy, this year I want to acknowledge more my peers on the Avnet Executive Board. This management team is stellar, based on experience, talent, and great personalities.  They are OPX guru Steve Church, a business leader who did a superb job on HR/OD and recently passed the baton to MaryAnn Miller who is the only pretty one in this crowd, but tough (fellow Chi-towner). Our business leaders are awesome vets Harley Feldberg and Phil Gallagher, and Jim Smith in logistics ships everything they sell with a little value added in. Lead finance and legal guys for decades have been at Roy’s side on all our M&A activity and doing their days jobs are Ray Sadowski and David Birk. Our # 1 core value, integrity starts with those guys. Our CIO we got in the Memec deal is wonderful gentlemen, Steve Phillips. Last but not least is another well known vet our COO Rick Hamada who is making sure our profitable organic growth activities and day to day operations are running on all cylinders. I’m the only slacker in the group. I have been honored to be in staff meetings for 11 years. 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. They are good people.

Our leadership team has changed a little bit over the years but their efforts, 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.

We will smile for quite awhile and get back to work…with business improving this has been a bonus gift for our spirits and booster rocket. Thank you fellow employees, Thank you voters. Thank you Fortune.

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