Avnet Technology Solutions Looks to Solution-based Sales for Resellers, Consultants

Avnet's IT distribution arm, Technology Solutions, has promoted Gavin Miller, a former solution provider, as vice president and general manager of the company's new organization, Technology Infrastructure Solutions.

The newly formed organization combines Avnet's Enterprise Software and Storage business with the Technology and Market Solutions business. In his new role, Miller reports to Jeff Bawol who was appointed as president of Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, in May.

Miller plans to leverage a more solutions-oriented approach to sales in his new role where he is responsible for sales and marketing of software, hardware and services from a broad array of suppliers including those with solutions for storage, data management, networking, security, enterprise mobility and unified communications.

Miller joined Avnet in 2004 as general manager for Avnet Technology Solutions Canada where he delivered double-digit sales growth, according to Avnet, well ahead of the sales growth in the market.

Miller is looking to repeat that performance in his new role.

"We were very siloed in Canada when I took over the group," Miller said. "If you did HP you came and thought about HP."  Miller initiated a more solutions-based approach and started doing joint planning sessions with the client base.

"We had more lines migrate over to us and we had existing customers take on more lines," he said.

Miller also spent a good portion of his career at solution providers MITI Information Technology and xwave, which merged in 2000. While at these companies he rose from an account executive to general manager of market and business development.