Smith Names Choon Byun as Chairman of Asia

Choon will lead the company’s corporate strategy in the Asian region

Houston, TX (December 16, 2021) – Smith, a leading global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces the appointment of Choon Byun as Chairman of Asia. Choon previously served as President, APAC since 2012.

“It is an honor to accept this new position and help launch the Asia-Pacific region to the next level,” said Choon. “Smith has been a leader in the industry for decades, and I am eager to explore new opportunities for advancement and innovation.”

In this role, Choon will focus on continuing to expand and develop Smith’s Asian footprint. Over the last decade, he has helped to open multiple offices in the region and increase the company’s Asian workforce by more than 125 percent. As the current semiconductor shortage continues to create unprecedented supply chain disruptions worldwide, Choon will drive Smith’s APAC region forward to pursue new opportunities and provide customers with unparalleled support to mitigate these challenges.

“Choon is constantly looking for ways to address inefficiencies in our operations and refuses to settle for the status quo, even in breakout years like this one,” said Marc Barnhill, Smith’s Chief Trading officer. “Throughout his tenure, he has worked to open the communication and information exchange across our global offices, and his contributions have played a big part in making us the company we are today.”

Choon began his career at Smith in 1997 as a purchasing agent at the company’s Houston headquarters, and a year later, he transferred to the Hong Kong sales department. Choon helped to open Smith’s Seoul and Shanghai offices in 2000 and 2004, respectively, before being named Vice President, Northeast Asia in 2005.

“We are excited for Choon to take on this new role as Chairman of Asia for Smith,” said Bob Ackerley, Smith’s Co-Founder and Director. “For more than 20 years, Choon has worked tirelessly to build a network of Smith offices throughout Asia. Today, this robust presence has made us the number-one independent distributor of electronic components in the region. Choon has positioned us for great future success as a global leader in the electronic component supply chain.”

About Smith

Founded in 1984, Smith sources, manages, and distributes the electronic components that go into everything from mobile phones and computers to appliances and directional drilling systems. In 17 cities around the world, Smith’s legion of employees communicates in 50 languages and dialects and buys and sells components 24 hours per day, generating global annual sales in excess of $1.39 billion. Smith is always moving: helping manufacturers navigate market shifts; customizing supply chain solutions; testing components using cutting-edge technology. The support of Smith’s flexible Intelligent Distribution^TM model optimizes customers’ supply chains from beginning to end, including offering customized options for IT asset disposition that deliver maximum ROI, sustainability, and security. Smith’s testing and logistics hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam cover critical areas like quality management, counterfeit prevention, and environmental safety. Smith’s operations, purchasing, and sales worldwide are seamlessly integrated with the company’s global IT infrastructure, offering real-time, global inventory and logistics visibility. Smith is the leading independent distributor of electronic components and ranks number eight among all global distributors. For more information, please visit www.smithweb.com or reach out to a Smith representative any time of day at +1 713.430.3000.

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For more information, contact:

Rich Witmer
Smith, Senior Director of Marketing
+1 713.430.2141