Avnet appoints Rick Alvarez as the head of the distributor's HP Business Unit.Distributor Avnet on May 15 announced Rick Alvarez, vice president of sales at Avnet Partner Solutions, as the new head of its Hewlett-Packard Business Unit.
Alvarez assumes the role as vice president and general manager of the HP unit, a position Jim Kleeman left in February after two years at the helm.
Alvarez is tasked with continuing Kleeman's success driving toward a goal of $1 billion in annual HP sales by 2008, Avnet officials said. Under Kleeman, the unit grew revenue 17 percent to $660 million in 2005, said Fred Cuen, president of Avnet's Technology Solutions Group.
Prior to Avnet, Alvarez was vice president of sales at QIV Systems, a reseller specializing in the SMB (small and midsize business) market, where he helped drive the company to $30 million in annual sales, according to a statement from Avnet. Alvarez has been in IT for more than 20 years, the statement said.
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Kleeman would not disclose his next step, but told co-workers he is looking into his own business and has reached out to a venture capital firm for financing.
Kleeman's announcement came on the heels of Steve Tepedino's resignation in February as co-president of Avnet Technology Solutions, a title he had shared with Cuen.
Hewlett-Packard 
