Alex Ryals

Alex Ryals serves as vice president, Security and Networking
Specialist Business Unit, North America for Tech Data. He was
appointed to the role in February 2017 upon the completion of Tech
Data’s acquisition of Avnet’s Technology Solutions division. In this
role, he is responsible for accelerating the sales of security and
networking solutions through the Tech Data partner ecosystem.
Leveraging vendor sales, training and enablement, custom solutions
and delivery services, Ryals’ team helps partners build security
practices and recruits new vendors into the Tech Data family.

Previously, Ryals served as vice president of Solutions Development
for Avnet Technology Solutions, managing several solutions
practices, including Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, mobility,
security and converged solutions. His duties included developing
enablement collateral to help Avnet partners build their own
solution practices, researching new emerging technology suppliers
for recruitment, training the internal Avnet sales organization and
designing technology solutions for partners to take to market.

Prior to that, he was the solution strategy director for the HPE brand
team within Avnet Technology Solutions, focused on building cloud computing, data analytics,
converged and security solutions for partners using HPE technology. He joined Avnet in 2013
with the acquisition of Pepperweed Consulting, where he was serving as Chief Technology
Officer.

Ryals has nearly 20 years of experience in the technology sector, with much of his career spent
in the services space working for an HP Software value-added reseller (VAR), Pepperweed
Consulting. As a founding member of Pepperweed Consulting, he delivered software consulting
engagements in over 40 U.S.-based organizations and architected software and cloud solutions
for over 200 companies. Throughout his career, Ryals has gained experience working in key
verticals such as healthcare, retail, energy and finance, as well as worked with several
government agencies as part of a public sector practice. He is a graduate of Auburn University,
where he received a Bachelor of Computer Science degree with a minor in business in 1997.