Avnet Technology Solutions’ Jeff Bawol and Denny O’Connell Recognized as 2015 CRN Channel Chiefs

Executives honored for their roles in accelerating growth in the Americas for Avnet and its channel partners

Jeff Bawol, president of Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, has been named to the prestigious list of The Channel Company's 2015 CRN Channel Chiefs. (Photo: Business Wire)

PHOENIX--()--Avnet Technology Solutions, the global IT solutions distribution leader and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), announced today that Jeff Bawol, president of Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, and Denny O’Connell, senior vice president and general manager, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, Converged and Data Solutions group, have both been named to the prestigious list of The Channel Company’s 2015 CRN Channel Chiefs. The influential executives on this annual list represent the most powerful leaders in the IT channel who hold direct responsibility for driving growth and revenue for their organizations through their indirect channel partners. Bawol and O’Connell were selected for inclusion based on their track record of channel accomplishments, standing in the industry, dedication to the partner community, and plans for driving future business innovation and channel growth.

“While the pace of change in the technology industry continues to accelerate, Jeff and Denny have helped Avnet’s partners successfully transform their businesses to address customers’ evolving needs,” said Patrick Zammit, global president of Avnet Technology Solutions. “Jeff, Denny and their teams have developed the deep relationships with industry-leading suppliers, resources and solutions expertise partners need to capitalize on high-growth opportunities related to converged infrastructure, the public sector and services. Their inclusion on CRN’s list of Channel Chiefs is a well-deserved recognition of their accomplishments in helping Avnet, our partners and suppliers achieve our respective business goals.”

Honored for the fourth time as a CRN Channel Chief, Bawol was recognized for his role in helping suppliers and partners expand their businesses, while capitalizing on technology growth markets and services. For example, Bawol and his team launched Avnet Government Solutions in 2014, which addresses the IT needs of the U.S. public sector. Avnet Government Solutions provides partners with the business development, services and solutions expertise needed to increase their U.S. government sales. Additionally, Bawol and his team developed a dedicated resold services group. This new group focuses on driving efficiency and growth for a wide range of after-market services, including maintenance, while improving the customer experience for partners and increasing the visibility of suppliers’ offerings.

Bawol also set the vision and the strategy to make it easier for partners to sell multi-vendor solutions by bringing together key converged infrastructure suppliers into one solutions group. Bawol appointed O’Connell, who made his debut on CRN’s Channel Chiefs list this year, to lead the new group.

O’Connell was honored for his leadership of the Converged and Data Solutions group within Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. Throughout the past year, O’Connell and his team assisted in accelerating the success of five key suppliers in the converged infrastructure market: Cisco, EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, NetApp and VCE. With his guidance, O’Connell’s group grew Avnet’s Converged and Data Solutions business by helping Avnet’s partners capitalize on the market opportunities related to converged infrastructure solutions. Additionally, O’Connell and his team provided partners with access to Avnet’s unique integration and technical capabilities to architect, configure and integrate a wide range of converged infrastructure solutions. As a result, Avnet was named Cisco’s Data Center Architecture Distributor of the Year for the third consecutive year.

“Each year, our editors carefully vet an extensive group of highly accomplished channel executives to highlight those exemplary individuals who earn the mantle of CRN Channel Chief,” said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. “These executives strive to advance the success and standing of the channel community within their organizations. The 2015 CRN Channel Chiefs lead by example and serve as valuable advocates to help ensure the health and longevity of the IT channel. We applaud their accomplishments and look forward to their continued success.”

The 2015 CRN Channel Chiefs list is featured in the February 2015 issue of CRN, and online at www.CRN.com.

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About The Channel Company

The Channel Company, with established brands including CRN, XChange Events, IPED and SharedVue, is the channel community's trusted authority for growth and innovation. For more than three decades, we have leveraged our proven and leading-edge platforms to deliver prescriptive sales and marketing solutions for the technology channel. The Channel Company provides Communication, Recruitment, Engagement, Enablement, Demand Generation and Intelligence services to drive technology partnerships. Learn more at www.thechannelcompany.com.

About Avnet Technology Solutions

As a global IT solutions distributor, Avnet Technology Solutions transforms technology into business solutions for customers around the world. It collaborates with customers and suppliers to create and deliver services, software and hardware solutions that address the changing needs of end-user customers. The group serves customers and suppliers in North America, Latin America and Caribbean, Asia Pacific, and Europe, Middle East and Africa. It generated US $11.0 billion in annual revenue for fiscal year 2014. Avnet Technology Solutions is an operating group of Avnet, Inc. For more information, visit ats.avnet.com.

About Avnet, Inc.

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers globally. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 28, 2014, Avnet generated revenue of $27.5 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

Contacts

Brodeur Partners, for Avnet Technology Solutions
Marcia Chapman, 480-308-0284
mchapman@brodeur.com
or
The Channel Company
Marc Courchesne, 508-416-1110
mcourchesne@thechannelcompany.com

Release Summary

Avnet announces that Jeff Bawol and Denny O’Connell, leaders for Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, have both been named to the prestigious list of The Channel Company’s 2015 CRN Channel Chiefs.

Contacts

Brodeur Partners, for Avnet Technology Solutions
Marcia Chapman, 480-308-0284
mchapman@brodeur.com
or
The Channel Company
Marc Courchesne, 508-416-1110
mcourchesne@thechannelcompany.com