Distribution Briefs

Merisel Launches New Version of SELline

Avnet Cilicon Appoints New Vice President
Avnet Cilicon, the semiconductor specialist division of Avnet Electronics Marketing, Phoenix, has appointed Alex Iuorio its vice president and director of business development. Iuorio brings 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, having spent most of his career in various positions with Avnet Electronics Marketing, including vice president/area director in three different geographic areas. The business development group develops Avnet Cilicon's strategies relative to current and prospective suppliers, and is in charge of overseeing the supplier business-management team responsible for all business planning and development activities for key Avnet suppliers. Iuorio holds a B.A. from the University of Illinois.

Allen Tel Joins Graybar's VIP List
Graybar has added Allen Tel Products' Versatap-Category 6 connectors, patch cables, patch panels and 110 blocks to its Verified Independently for Performance (VIP) program. The products were independently tested and certified by ETL SEMKO Testing Laboratories. VIP2000 certification assures customers that the cabling components will exceed TIA/EIA and IEEE standards and will be interoperable, meeting IEEE/Category 6 standards. VIP-certified systems offer the potential for increased bandwidth and fewer retransmissions.

D&H Signs System Builder Partners...
D&H is further expanding into the system-builder market with new vendor partners Cyber Acoustics, NESO USA, Unitech, EnGenius, Hansol Electronics, Hawking Technology, Keyspan and Raritan Intelligent. Other vendor partners recently signed on are Authenex, Dicota, e.Digital, Magellan, Margi Systems, Pico, Pogo and Telex Communications. According to D&H, the company has had a 25 percent increase in system-builder sales this year, which it credits to a strong SMB focus and partnerships with NASBA, a white-box industry trade association, and the ASCII Group, a group of independent computer VARs.

...And Donates To the Red Cross
In separate news, D&H Distributing donated 1 percent of all purchases made on Sept. 11, 2002, through the company's Web site to the American Red Cross' Liberty Disaster Relief Fund. The distributor, based in Harrisburg, Pa., chose that as a way to memorialize victims of last year's terrorist attacks. The sale-based donation also gave its VARs a way to pay tribute. The Red Cross says it has already distributed $643 million, with another $200 million planned.

Westcon Expands Connectivity Partner Program
Tarrytown, N.Y.-based Westcon has added new marketing programs and professional services to its Connectivity Partner Program. To qualify, solution providers must make a quarterly volume commitment that is customized to their businesses. Westcon has beefed up its role in developing their solution providers' market visions, which includes helping them write business plans and devising new market strategies. Developed in 1993, the Connectivity Partner Program also offers customized training, tailored logistics alignment ensuring priority inventory allocations, special product discounts, and prioritized presales and postsales support. Direct access to Westcon's executive and engineering teams, creative marketing support through Westcon's MarketVision program and multivendor co-op funds are also provided.