Avnet Express' Drive for Innovation Wins a min's Editorial & Design Award in the "Special Section/Microsite" Category

PHOENIX and SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Electronics, a UBM company and the daily source of essential business and technical information for the electronics industry's decision makers, and Avnet Express, the e-Commerce engine for Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), today announced that the Drive for Innovation, which showcases electronics innovation in the United States with a cross-country journey in an electric vehicle - a General Motors Chevrolet Volt, won a min's Editorial & Design Award in the B2B "Special Section/Microsite" category.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111128/SF12835LOGO)

The min's Editorial & Design Awards program recognizes excellence in content and design among consumer, business-to-business and specialized information media brands. The awards were judged by a panel of editors, designers and consultants.  

Brian Fuller, EE Times' editorial director, UBM Electronics, said, "The min's Editorial & Design Awards are a highly competitive industry contest.  We are very proud that the Drive for Innovation's microsite was recognized as innovative in its own right and the 'best of the best' among some well known outlets in the media industry."

"As we trek across the United States, showcasing innovation and American ingenuity, Avnet hopes to expose more people to the incredible engineering taking place in our own backyards," said Ian Basey, Vice President of Marketing for Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas. "This recognition of our Drive for Innovation microsite is just another example of innovation at its finest."

Additionally, the Drive for Innovation "On the Road" Blog was a finalist in the "Blog" category.

About the Drive for Innovation Program:

The Drive for Innovation program is sponsored by Avnet Express, the e-Commerce engine for Avnet Electronics Marketing, an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT).  Since July 2011, the Chevrolet Volt has been making periodic stops throughout the journey, where Fuller, the driver of the Chevrolet Volt, has been interviewing engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and students, and blogging and posting video updates about his experiences.  The trip details the electronic innovations behind the Chevrolet Volt and the future of plug-in electric cars.  The multi-faceted program is anchored by a website that features content from the road trip, a drive tracker and an interactive map that highlights the tour as well as games and prizes to fuel community engagement.

Avnet Express gives design engineers and purchasing professionals online 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 to sign up to follow the stories and request that the Volt pull into your town or city for a visit.  Upcoming stops on the "Drive for Innovation" road trip include:

• North Carolina
• Florida
• Alabama
• and more

To learn more about Avnet Express, visit avnetexpress.com.  To follow the "Drive for Innovation" and the Chevrolet 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, Public Relations, Avnet Electronics Marketing
T:  480.643.7183, E: bethany.helvie@avnet.com

SOURCE UBM Electronics