Avnet announced that Rick Hamada has succeeded Roy Vallee as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. The transition was previously announced on Feb. 14, 2011, and became effective with the beginning of Avnet’s fiscal year 2012. Vallee will continue to serve as Avnet’s Executive Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. He has been with Avnet for 34 years and served as Chairman and CEO the past for 13 years.
Hamada had previously served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) since July 2006. He joined Avnet in 1983 and started as a technical support specialist. In July 2006, Hamada was named COO of Avnet, and has been directly responsible for Avnet's two operating groups, Electronics Marketing and Technology Solutions, as well as global logistics operations, information technology, operational excellence and business innovation.
He was first elected a corporate officer of Avnet in 1999, is a member of Avnet's Board of Directors, and chairs Avnet's Global Executive Council.
