10 Things You Didn't Know about Arrow Electronics CEO Michael Long

Michael Long is both the CEO and the Chairman of Arrow Electronics, which specializes in the distribution of a wide range of computer and other electronic products. Generally speaking, he is considered to be a capable corporate leader who has nonetheless been presented with a serious challenge in the form of a business environment that is seeing huge changes at the moment. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Michael Long:

1. Michael Is a Rhetorical Question

Michael translates to something along the lines of "Who is like God?" However, it is important to note that this isn't a descriptor. Instead, it is a rhetorical question with the implied meaning that no one is like God. Said name has been popular in a wide range of countries in a wide range of periods, as shown by the sheer number of patronymic family names based upon it.

2. Long Has Multiple Origins

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are cases in which the family name Long comes from a nickname that was used for tall people, which in turn, comes from the Latin longus. However, it is interesting to note that there are also cases in which Long is an Anglicized version of other family names in other languages, with known examples including both some Irish family names and some Swedish family names.

3. Studied at University of Wisconsin

Education-wise, Long studied at the University of Wisconsin, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Besides this, he spent some time at the Milwaukee School of Engineering as well.

4. Came to Arrow Electronics Via Schweber Electronics

In 1991, Long joined up with Arrow Electronics. This happened because he was a member of the senior leadership at Schweber Electronics, which merged with Arrow Electronics at that time to create something that was both bigger and better-established. Since that time, Long has continued to hold various positions as a member of the senior leadership.

5. Has International Business Experience

Speaking of which, Long has some international business experience as well. This is because one of the positions that he has held over the course of his long career is the president of the corporation's Global Components business, meaning that he was in charge of a worldwide operation. On top of this, Long has headed up operations in the Asia/Pacific region as well.

6. Served as COO Before Becoming CEO

Before Long rose to the position of CEO in 2009, he served in the position of COO, which stands for Chief Operating Officer. For those who are unfamiliar, a COO tends to be responsible of overseeing a corporation's operations, which is why they are often one step beneath the CEO.

7. Member of YPO

Long is a member of the YPO, which will make more sense when one learns that YPO used to be called the Young Presidents' Organization. In short, YPO serves as a kind of networking group with an international membership. Interested individuals cannot join on their own but have to be recommended by existing members instead. On top of that, potential candidates must have met certain requirements such as becoming a CEO before the age of 45, running a business with a certain amount of revenue, and running a business with a certain number of employees.

8. Serves on the Board of Directors for AmerisourceBergen

It isn't uncommon for CEOs to serve on the Boards of Directors for corporations other than the ones that they are responsible for running. Long is an excellent example, seeing as how he serves on the Board of Directors for AmerisourceBergen. Said corporation is a drug wholesaler with a huge presence in the United States, so much so that it has claimed around 20 percent of the pharmaceuticals sold in said market in certain years.

9. Has Brought Arrow Electronics to a Dominant Position

Long has received a fair amount of praise from various publications. This is because he has been a successful CEO, as shown by how he has brought Arrow Electronics to a dominant position when it comes to distribution.

10. Overseeing Current Evolution

However, it is interesting to note that Long is overseeing a huge evolution of Arrow Electronics' operations to make it more focused on design than on distribution. Supposedly, this is because the senior leadership believes that their current model won't be profitable in the long run, meaning that they are moving to put themselves in a better position to compete in a world transformed by the Internet of Things.