History

Smith has pioneered open-market distribution since 1984 and was one of the first Independent Distributors to focus on the international market.

2008

• Matt Hartzell named Chief Operating Officer; Thuy Tran named General Counsel
• Smith & Associates reaches major milestone with over 20 IDEA-ICE-3000 certified in-house inspectors
• Smith & Associates open an office in Shenzhen, China.
• Smith ranked in Top 100 Private Companies by Houston Chronicle

2007

• Smith ranked #25 in Houston Chronicle's "Top Private Companies" poll
• Smith Networking division launched
• Marc Barnhill named Chief Trading Officer

2006

• Smith opens its first office in Tokyo, Japan
• Smith Memory division launched
• Smith participates in development of IDEA-STD-1010-A
  all Smith facilities exceed standard at its inception

2005

• Smith secures ISO 14001:2004 Certification
• Smith adds its first Business Development Director in Japan to support business in the region
• Global sales for Smith once again exceeded $500 million
• Purchasing Magazine, Electronic Business, and Electronics Supply and Manufacturing all ranked Smith & Associates the top independent electronic component distributor
• Smith ranked among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Houston by Houston Business Journal

2004

• Smith celebrates 20 years of Global Semiconductor Distribution and Services
• Smith's first office in the People's Republic of China opens in Shanghai
• Electronic Business and Purchasing magazines rank Smith the No. 1 independent North American electronic component distributor
• Smith is the only independent distributor ranked among Electronic Business’ top 10 North American distributors
• Smith expands its presence at the Electronica trade show in Munich
• Smith's global sales exceed $500 million, a first for any independent electronic component distributor

2003

• Smith is admitted into US Customs' elite Importer Self Assessment (ISA) program and remains the only electronics company that has qualified to enter this program
• Smith opens office in New York, New York
• Purchasing magazine ranks Smith the No. 1 independent North American electronic component distributor
• Smith's Silicon Valley, California facility relocates to accommodate logistics expansion

2002

• Smith secures ISO 9001:2000 Certification
• Smith exhibits at Electronica in Munich
• Smith adds a European-based Business Development Director to support business in the region
• Smith expands Amsterdam Consignment Warehouse June 1 - Allowing up to 150,000 square feet for consignment/excess inventory
• Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith as the No. 1 Non-Franchised Distributor on annual "Top 50 Distributors" list
• Purchasing Magazine ranks Smith as the No. 1 Independent Distributor on annual “Top Independent Distributors” list
• Smith Market Watch redeveloped: April 1, first issue of Smith Market Watch 2.0 released

2001

• Smith is named a Top Global Importer by U.S. Customs
• Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith the Top Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
• Corporate Security division is created
• Houston headquarters expanded to include a warehouse for consigned inventory
• Smith Amsterdam relocated to facility with more space for logistics and inventory and equipped with the latest technological infrastructure
• Smith Barcelona moved into a large facility and more than doubles size of sales and purchasing team

2000

• Smith opens offices in Barcelona, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Guadalajara
• Smith dedicates 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse to handle OEM & CEM consignment/excess inventories
• Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith the #2 Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
• Express Components and ExStock divisions consolidate as SmithMart.com®
• SmithMart.com® OEM excess/surplus auction site launched
• Smith's debut exhibit at Electronica in Munich
• Employees number over 250 by the end of the year

1999

• Smith & Associates marks its15th anniversary
• Smith’s Amsterdam office opens
• Electronic Buyers' News again ranks Smith the #1 Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
• Purchasing Magazine ranks Smith as the #1 Independent Distributor
• Texas Technology magazine ranks Smith & Associates above Dell and Compaq in its "Sizzling 60" issue
• Reel Technology merges with Smith's renovated Operations facility, warehouse expanded

1998

• Revenues top record $470 million
• Current Technology magazine lists Smith in its "Texas Top 100," along with companies such as Dell, Compaq, Alcatel and GTE
• Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith the #1 Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
• Electronic Business magazine lists Smith as the #1 Independent Distributor in the "Top 25 Distributors" issue

1997

• Annual revenues hit record $373 million
• Company moves into new 60,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art world headquarters in Houston
• First major international office opens in Hong Kong
• Smith once again ranks as a top distributor in Electronic Buyers’ News and in Electronic Business Today
• SmithWeb launched; Smith Market Watch® debuts on the Web

1996

• Reel Technology formed -- Smith's division offering value-added services
• Smith ranked as the #2 Non-Franchised Distributor in Electronic Buyers' News and in Electronic Business Today's "Top 100 Distributors" issue
• ExStock division created to purchase and resell excess/surplus products for OEM & CEM customers
• Smith moves up in the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies -- ranked # 49

1992 -1995

• Smith doubles revenues each year from $30 million in 1992 to $367 million in 1995
• Smith breaks into the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies -- ranked at # 219
• Early 1995: Smith named to "World Trade 100," a list of the top 100 world trading companies
• Employees number over 100 by end of 1995
• Mid-1994: Smith ranked 23rd in the "Houston 100," a list of the top 100 privately-owned companies making the greatest impact on Houston
• Express Components division formed to focus on Distributor and Broker sales

1984 -1991

• Smith grows to 35 employees and becomes one of the first US Independent Distributors to focus on buying and selling outside the USA
• Smith moves twice, ending up in a 15,000 sq. ft. facility in Houston

1984

• Smith & Associates founded by brothers Bob and Lee Ackerley with their wives in Bob's home in Houston, Texas
• Ackerleys close their first sale before their fledgling distribution company has a name -- they use Nora Ackerley's (Bob's wife) real estate company to invoice the deal. The name of that real estate business, of course, was N.F. Smith & Associates
• By the end of 1984 Smith had grown to 10 employees and leased its first office space