PHOENIX, AZ -- (Marketwire) -- 10/29/12 -- Avnet Executive Chairman of the Board and former CEO Roy Vallee has joined the Tallwave Board of Advisors in a senior capacity to assist the firm in boosting its growth. Vallee's strategic thinking skills, innovative concepts and ingenious leadership, demonstrated during his tenure at the helm of one of the world's largest technology distributors, will serve as valuable assets to Tallwave, a premier lean business accelerator and venture management firm.

Vallee joins Tallwave's Board of Advisors to provide strategic guidance and executive coaching to its CEO and senior leadership team.

"As a leader with an extraordinary career in business, Roy has demonstrated that he understands the importance of driving corporate strategy, economic discipline, talent management and leadership development," said Jeffrey Pruitt, CEO of Tallwave. "I welcome his insights and personal mentoring to help Tallwave and I continue to focus on the smartest and best priorities for our growing enterprise."

While serving as chairman and chief executive at Avnet from July 1998 until July 2011, Vallee accelerated its success as an industry consolidator and was instrumental in Avnet's acquisition of 47 companies to increase geographic coverage, scale and scope, and shareholder value. He also introduced value-based management which emphasizes return on capital employed, and economic profit growth.

In January 2010, Vallee was named to the Twelfth District Economic Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF), a role he still holds. Economic Advisory Council members provide information on current and pending developments in the regional and national economy.

Vallee is also active in the community in various advisory roles. In May 2008, then-Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano invited him to be a founding member of the Governor's Council on Innovation and Technology, and later to join the board of the Arizona Economic Resource Organization, a private nonprofit group seeking to boost the state's economic development. From 2009 to 2011, Vallee served on the executive committee of the Arizona Commerce Authority, which is tasked with recommending changes to the state's department of commerce and providing for a stronger statewide economic development model. In 2011, he was again appointed to its board of directors and executive committee by current Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.

In addition to Avnet, Vallee is a member of the boards of directors of two other publicly held companies: Teradyne, a leading automated testing company for the semiconductor industry and Synopsys, Inc., the leading supplier of electronic design automation software.

"The lean business solutions Tallwave delivers to help companies design, validate and commercialize their businesses are creating a climate that will attract investment in these job-creating enterprises," said Vallee. "I am a strong advocate of entrepreneurial spirit and will lend an active voice in helping Tallwave position its strengths in the region while looking at expanding its thought leadership and role in entrepreneurial ecosystem development geographically."

About Tallwave:
Tallwave is a lean business accelerator and venture management company specializing in validating, commercializing and scaling emerging technology and digital media ventures. Founded in 2010 by former senior executives from Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and iCrossing, Tallwave helps businesses identify, achieve and sustain growth using lean-validation principles. Tallwave has successfully worked with over 25 companies in its Venture Accelerator and has added four companies to its Venture Management portfolio. Headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, Tallwave has offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information about Tallwave, visit www.tallwave.com or call 602-840-0400.

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