Jennings Strouss Hires Former Avnet, Inc. President

10.1.07

Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, P.L.C. is pleased to announce that Andrew S. Bryant, a former President of Avnet's Global Operating Groups, has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer.

Jennings Strouss is the only law firm in Arizona, and possibly the Southwest, that has a former Fortune 500 public company president with an exclusively corporate background managing the business operations of a law firm. The Jennings Strouss management team made the bold move to hire outside the law firm "norm" in an effort to bolster its bottom line and focus on business model strategic growth. This decision demonstrates yet another progressive and innovative approach by Jennings Strouss to stay competitive. In recent years the firm has focused its legal practice on emerging markets such as biotechnology, expanded locally through lawyer acquisitions and nationally by opening an office in Washington D.C., and has added a non-lawyer consultant to its energy practice to provide utility clients enhanced service offerings.

"We have a unique opportunity to benefit from the operational and strategic experience of a person with real-world corporate experience and a proven track record of success," says John C. West, Managing Attorney and CEO of Jennings Strouss. "Under Andy's guidance we hope to expand strategically, operate more leanly and profitably and have a greater understanding of the issues that affect our corporate clients."

Bryant, an Ahwatukee resident, served as President for both of Avnet's Global Operating Groups and as a Senior Vice President of Avnet, Inc. He was elected a corporate officer in 1996 and an executive officer in 1999. While there, Bryant successfully led the multi-billion dollar global business through several successful acquisitions and established a track record of substantial growth for the company's operating income. From July of 2004 until his departure, Mr. Bryant served as President of Avnet Logistics where he guided Avnet's global supply chain business and created a new service business outsourcing Avnet's supply chain and logistics service offering back to its component suppliers. Active in the community, Bryant is a member of the board of trustees for the Phoenix Boys Choir.

"I am thrilled to have entered the legal services industry and could find no better choice than with Jennings Strouss" says Andrew S. Bryant, COO of Jennings Strouss. "The firm's insightful decision to run itself like a business was attractive to me. Many law firms want to follow this model, but not many take the critical steps to get there. I made the move because of the opportunity to leverage my experience and focus on profitable regional and national growth."