The Soft Pitch

Most companies on their websites, in executive speeches and in marketing materials will somewhere make a statement that basically goes something like – “Our people make the difference.” –  “Employees are our most important asset.” —  “What makes us different is the quality of our people.” Same message, different words. Heads nod and reporters yawn.  So, I’m going to commitment the same sin and say “It’s all about our people.” But let me take it a step further and say what that means to me is that it’s about the expertise of specific individuals. Just as in the real world, a body of people is really a collection of individuals with varying levels of talent, expertise, knowledge, commitment, etc. Some catch our eye because they are particularly good at something.  I like to talk to these “experts” because I’ve learned they usually earned the recognition for a very good reason: they have a level of knowledge in a particular field that goes beyond what you would normally expect.  They have a lot to share and often make good speakers for industry events.

Here’s a couple I heard about recently that would make good subject matter experts:

Microsoft Names Dan Saniti Most Valuable Professional

Microsoft recently honored Avnet Field Applications Engineer Dan Saniti with its Most Valuable Professional, Windows Embedded award. Saniti is based in Minneapolis.

Microsoft most valuable professionals (MVPs) are recognized for sharing their high-quality, real-world expertise with its users and Microsoft. Saniti joins an elite group of just 85 Microsoft Windows Embedded MVPs across the world. He is the first Avnet employee to receive this honor.

To read Saniti’s MVP profile, visit Microsoft’s MVP site

Doris Gray Receives Contract Management Outstanding Fellow Award

Doris Gray, Avnet senior contracts manager, has been selected to receive the National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) 2009 Outstanding Fellow Award.  The Outstanding Fellow designation is NCMA highest award that it grants its members.  This award is given to those few who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the field of contract management and to the NCMA.

The Outstanding Fellow Award recognizes Doris’ achievements through the years as a member of the Council of Fellows, which include Motorola’s CEO Award, and the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award. For more details on her background, read the full announcement.

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As Announced at NEDA’s conference earlier this week —

Atlanta, GA—The National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA) bestowed its highest honor, the Gail S. Carter Award, to Roy Vallee, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Avnet, Inc.  The annual presentation was held during the 2008 NEDA Executive Conference at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel. The award acknowledges electronic distributor principals who have made significant contributions to the distribution industry, have taken an active role in NEDA and civic affairs, and are recognized by the industry as leaders.

NEDA President Frank Flynn of Sager Electronics, presented the award and praised Mr. Vallee’s contributions to the industry. Under his leadership, Avnet has been a steady champion of NEDA throughout the years. Mr. Vallee has generously supported its programs and encouraged senior Avnet executives to serve on the NEDA Boards. “It’s not often that an organization enjoys this type of high-level deployment of executive talent and expertise,” said Robin B. Gray, Jr., NEDA Executive Vice President. Mr. Vallee has also been an active leader within the NEDA Large Company Council. Avnet has helped to improve the visibility, importance and growth of electronic distribution, NEDA and raised the professional standard and ethics for the electronic distribution industry.

In his acceptance, Vallee spoke of the rewards of Avnet’s involvement in NEDA and called on others to make the most of their NEDA membership.  “It’s an honor to receive the Gail S. Carter Award and be included with a distinguished list of past recipients. Our industry has been through tremendous changes and challenges during my career. NEDA has consistently been there to provide insight and a critical forum for discussing issues and topics that have helped our industry continue to advance. The opportunity to work closely with NEDA has given me a deep appreciation of the power of collaboration in championing the value and contributions of authorized distribution from a local to a global level.”

NEDA is a not-for-profit trade association representing supplier authorized distributors of electronic components and their manufacturer-suppliers. Dedicated to enhancing the authorized distributor-manufacturer relationship, NEDA represents companies involved in the distribution of electronic components, computers and computer peripheral components and test, measurement and control equipment parts. 

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