Avnet Inc. Elects Five New Corporate Officers, Promotes Senior Executive.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2003

Avnet Inc.'s (NYSE:AVT) Chairman and CEO Roy Vallee has announced the election of five new corporate officers: Vice Presidents Janice Miller, Robert Nail, David A. Rapier and Raymond Tsang, and assistant secretary Catherine R. Hardwick. Richard (Rick) Hamada, previously a corporate vice president, was promoted to senior vice president.

Hamada, president of Avnet Computer Marketing since January 2002, reports to Roy Vallee and is a member of the Avnet Executive Board. Hamada has proven to be a top performer among his peers in the computer distribution business. During the more than two years Hamada, in his previous role, held the top post at Avnet Hall-Mark, its sales grew 75 percent. He was recently cited by Computer Reseller News (CRN) magazine as one of the top 25 Most Influential Executives in that industry.

Miller, just promoted to vice president and director of organizational development from her previous role as vice president of corporate strategic planning, joined Avnet in March 2001. She is responsible for succession planning and executive development and in addition will assume responsibility for human resources strategy and employee development. She reports to Vallee and is a member of the Avnet Executive Board.

Nail, a 27-year Avnet veteran, is senior vice president, supply chain management, Avnet Computer Marketing. He is responsible for logistics, operations, quality and asset management and reports to Hamada, president of Avnet Computer Marketing, a $2.4 billion operating group of Avnet Inc.

Rapier is currently senior vice president of strategic planning for Avnet Applied Computing. He joined Avnet in 1976 and served until 1990, then returned in 1996, for a combined service period of 20 years with the company. His broad background and experience in all three of Avnet's operating groups includes sales, operations and management. He was an original member of the management team that brought Avnet Applied Computing from its beginning to its current revenue level of $1.7 billion worldwide. He was also a significant contributor to the success of Avnet Applied Computing's highly successful and profitable European business. He reports to Ed Kamins, president of Avnet Applied Computing.

Tsang was named president of Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia in March 2002. He joined Avnet in May 2001 with the acquisition of Sunrise Technologies in China, where he served as CEO. Tsang and his team have structured the Sunrise and Avnet operations in Hong Kong and China into focused, independent sales and marketing businesses designed to provide for the needs of customers and suppliers in these growing regions. He is dually based in Hong Kong and Singapore and reports to Andy Bryant, global president of Avnet Electronics Marketing, the largest of Avnet's operating groups, with sales of $4.8 billion.

Hardwick is associate general counsel for Avnet Inc. reporting to Neil Taylor, deputy general counsel. She joined Avnet in February 2001 and is responsible for providing legal support primarily in the areas of securities law compliance, finance and corporate reporting and record keeping. As assistant secretary, she will also assist the board of directors with corporate governance issues and in complying with new public company regulation.

"I am particularly pleased to recognize the significant and valuable contributions of these fine executives by promoting them to corporate officer posts and in the case of Rick Hamada, to senior vice president. Their accomplishments -- despite the extremely difficult downturn in the technology markets over the last two years -- are especially noteworthy," Vallee said. "But despite the difficult business conditions and after deferring officer promotions for one year, the Avnet Executive Board and board of directors are proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of these hard working corporate leaders."

Phoenix-based Avnet Inc., a Global Fortune 500 company with annual sales of $8.9 billion (year ended June 29, 2002), is one of the world's largest technology marketing and services providers. The company's three operating groups distribute semiconductors, interconnect, passive and electromechanical components, embedded systems and computer products from leading manufacturers. Serving customers in 63 countries, Avnet delivers services such as inventory management, supply-chain services, bill-of-material analysis, systems integration and engineering design assistance. Its Web site is located at www.avnet.com/.