Avnet Express and UBM Electronics Host a Roundtable Panel Discussion Focused on Innovation in Electronics at ESC Boston

PHOENIX and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As the demand for oil continues to grow, technologists around the world are rushing to change the way alternative forms of energy are harvested, optimized and used. Electric vehicles and the green grid are just two hot topics in today's energy conversation. On Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. in the ESC Boston Theater, Avnet Express, the e-Commerce engine for Avnet Electronics Marketing, an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT) and UBM Electronics, a UBM company and the daily source of essential business and technical information for the electronics industry's decision makers, will host a panel entitled "Innovation in Electronics: Crisis or Promise?"

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110926/SF74477LOGO)

EE Times' editorial director, Brian Fuller, and Design News' senior automotive electronics editor, Charles (Chuck) Murray, will moderate a discussion about the state of green innovation. The panel will explore:

• How energy-supply concerns are changing electronics systems design priorities
• How the emergence of electric vehicles is changing subsystem and component-level design paradigms
• How the larger build-out of the green grid (including the impact of alternative energy generation) is changing electronics
• What green energy challenges will confront the industry in the next two years
• What new products resonate in different global regions
• Whether or not the skill sets among new-college grads are adequate for making your engineering workforce competitive in this new world

The panel discussion will feature three-minute overviews from each panelist followed by a Q&A led by Fuller and Murray. Panelists include: Mark Strangie, area director, Avnet Memec Americas; Sameer Prabhu, industry marketing director, MathWorks; John Day, technical fellow and field applications engineer, Microchip Technology Inc.; and Ronn Kliger, Energy Group director, Analog Devices.

Fuller is currently involved in a year-long initiative with Avnet Express and UBM Electronics called the "Drive for Innovation." This program has allowed Fuller the opportunity to showcase electronic innovation and automotive system design in the United States with a cross-country journey in an electric vehicle − a General Motors Chevrolet Volt, the 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year. Fuller has been interviewing engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and students, and also blogging and posting video updates about his experiences. As the trip unfolds, he has been detailing the electronic innovations behind the Chevrolet Volt and the future of plug-in electric cars.

"As we travel across the country we've found innovation in electronics in every corner of the country. We've met fascinating people and learned about new technologies," said Fuller. "As we make a pit stop in Boston, Chuck and I look forward to bringing these key electronics players together to offer a provocative roundtable on green innovation, including electric vehicles and alternative forms of energy."

"The Drive for Innovation program is really about uncovering the latest advancements in engineering," said Beth Ely, senior vice president of Avnet Express. "Hosting this panel at ESC Boston will give attendees the opportunity to not only hear Avnet's view of the technology marketplace, but also gives attendees the opportunity to hear from our supplier partners on how they see green innovation and what type of a role it will play in the designs of the future."

As the e-Commerce engine for Avnet Electronics Marketing, Avnet Express gives design engineers and purchasing professionals access to the world's largest catalog of electronic component products, which tops five million parts. Avnet Express offers parametric searching capabilities and the ability to upload a bill of materials (BOM) for easier sourcing of products and a consistent global platform of localized content. The site can be accessed in nine languages and 13 currencies.

Check www.driveforinnovation.com for upcoming locations and sign up to follow the stories and to request the Volt to pull into your town or city for a visit. Upcoming stops on the "Drive for Innovation" road trip include:

• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• New York
• and more

To learn more about Avnet Express, visit avnetexpress.com. To follow the "Drive for Innovation" and the Chevy Volt as it travels across the United States, visit www.driveforinnovation.com. Follow the "Drive for Innovation" on Facebook and Twitter.

About Avnet Electronics Marketing

Avnet Electronics Marketing is an operating group of Phoenix-based Avnet, Inc. that serves electronic original equipment manufacturers (EOEMs) and electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers in more than 70 countries, distributing electronic components from leading manufacturers and providing associated design-chain and supply-chain services. The group's website is located at www.em.avnet.com.

About Avnet, Inc.

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers in more than 70 countries worldwide. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000 customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended July 2, 2011, Avnet generated revenue of $26.5 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

About UBM Electronics

UBM Electronics is the global leader in media and marketing solutions for the electronics industry. UBM Electronics delivers results for the key influencers and decision makers involved in the design, development and commercialization of technology through its market leading brands, peer communities and professional education services. More than 2.2 million engineering professionals engage with UBM Electronics brands which include EE Times, EDN, EDN China, EDN Asia, EDN Japan, Design News and Test & Measurement World, TechOnline, Designlines and Embedded.com across the globe to accelerate technology sales. The international electronics community gathers at UBM Electronics market leading events such as the Embedded Systems Conferences, DesignCon and ARM Technology Conference to share, learn, discuss, and advance the critical issues and challenges facing the electronics industry. Additionally, UBM Electronics provides end-to-end services ranging from next-generation marketing, integrated media, custom solutions and research. UBM Electronics is part of UBM (UBM.L) a global provider of media and information services for professional B2B communities and markets.

For more information on UBM Electronics please contact:
Felicia Hamerman, Vice President, Marketing
T: 516.562.5652, E: felicia.hamerman@ubm.com

For more information on Avnet Express please contact:
Bethany Helvie, Senior Marketing Communications Specialist, Avnet Electronics Marketing
T: 480.643.7183, E: bethany.helvie@avnet.com

SOURCE UBM Electronics