Avnet Technology Solutions, the global IT solutions distribution leader and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), today announced that it is a recipient of the Riverbed Technology Distribution Partner of the Year 2013 Award for the U.S. and Canada. The Riverbed Partner Awards recognize companies for excellence in delivering on customer needs and driving business results.

“This award reflects the strong relationship between Avnet and Riverbed in championing solutions that improve network performance and application delivery,” said Scott Look, vice president and general manager, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, Connected and Secured Solutions group. “Our relationship with Riverbed helps provide our partners with a critical set of appliances and tools to directly address their customers’ pain points, especially related to wide-area networks. Through our SolutionsPath® practices, Avnet helps our partners develop the knowledge and skills needed to explore new revenue opportunities in highly-specialized markets.”

Avnet supports Riverbed solution providers and value-added reseller (VAR) partners with a variety of resources that have assisted them in achieving their business goals, expanding their offerings and increasing their Riverbed sales. For example, Avnet’s SolutionsPath® methodology and vertical market practices enhanced Riverbed partners’ expertise in high-growth, specialized markets, such as healthcare, government and education. Additionally, Riverbed solution providers have engaged with Avnet Services to provide their customers with a wide range of services-oriented business and IT offerings that are critical to creating comprehensive networking and IT security solutions that address customers’ business challenges.

“With this award, we applaud Avnet’s performance and achievements as a Riverbed partner, and look forward to Avnet continuing to raise the bar in delivering business value,” said Keith Hoskison, senior vice president, Worldwide Channels and Strategic Account Programs at Riverbed. “Riverbed and its partner network are focused on investing in an entire portfolio of products to help our joint customers implement the most complete application performance platform – the only platform that can detect and cure application and data delivery performance problems before end users even notice.”

The Riverbed Partner Awards recognize partners whose achievements impact Riverbed’s business on both a global and regional basis. Award winners are part of the Riverbed Performance Partner Network, a diverse ecosystem of 2,200 partners worldwide. Riverbed works closely with these industry-leading technology resellers, distributors, service providers and integrators to deliver innovative solutions that solve complex business problems, open new markets and create new revenue opportunities.