The Strength of Individuals
Patrick Aronson finds genuine enthusiasm in connecting with people, a surprising revelation amidst his tech-centric world. With a rich background spanning 25 years in technology distribution and now serving as the Executive Vice President of Westcon-Comstor Asia Pacific, he holds a profound belief in the enduring value of human capital. In an era where automation increasingly replaces human labor, Patrick emphasizes the irreplaceable significance of individuals within business operations. He emphasizes that while technology may streamline processes, it is the people who remain that truly define a company's culture, drive value creation, and ultimately determine its success. For Westcon-Comstor, the cornerstone of its operation lies not in physical assets but in its global network of dedicated individuals, stationed across 70 countries on 6 continents, underscoring the paramount importance of human capital in sustaining and propelling the company forward.
Founded in 1985 by Tom Dolan, Phil Raffiani, and Roman Michalowski in a humble garage, the company embarked on a mission to pioneer PC networking solutions in the vicinity of New York City. By securing one of the earliest distribution agreements with a technology manufacturer, Westcon revolutionized the sales landscape for tech products. With Comstor joining forces in 1999, Westcon solidified its position as a global force, distinguishing itself through comprehensive offerings including technical support, training, marketing, and financing, catering particularly to small businesses in their technology infrastructure upgrades.
Since its inception, Westcon's footprint has expanded globally, notably venturing into Asia in 2001. Today, it stands as Asia's premier specialist distributor of advanced network technology solutions, boasting a stellar lineup of vendors including Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, F5, Checkpoint Software, AWS, and other industry leaders.
Hailing from Chicago, Patrick has cultivated a deep-rooted connection with Asia throughout his adult life. Proficient in Vietnamese and Thai, he spent a significant portion of his career at Motorola, spearheading the mobile device business in Southeast Asia during the booming late 90s and early 2000s. Transitioning to distribution and advanced supply-chain services, Patrick served as the Managing Director of Brightstar in Singapore before joining Westcon-Comstor as Vice President of Asia in 2015. His recent elevation to Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific, reflects his adept leadership and strategic vision for the company.
Reflecting on his journey, Patrick acknowledges the parallels between the mobile and IT industries, noting the evolution towards a broader service-oriented model. In today's landscape, profitability hinges not just on individual products but on holistic service offerings encompassing devices, subscriptions, apps, and trade-in values. As the role of service providers continues to expand, Patrick emphasizes the need for distributors like Westcon to adapt their business models accordingly, catering to the evolving needs of the industry and its stakeholders.
"Cloud distribution stands as a primary focus for our investment, recognizing the shift away from heavy capital expenditures on hardware towards a subscription-based model. The cloud offers unparalleled flexibility and cost-effectiveness, allowing companies to scale their usage and costs according to their needs. Our BlueSky platform exemplifies this transformation, streamlining cloud service ordering, delivery, and management to enhance business intelligence. At Westcon-Comstor, we prioritize cultivating a team of innovative thinkers who thrive on solving customer challenges. We foster an environment where creativity, boldness, and experimentation are encouraged, recognizing that innovation stems from diverse perspectives and the exploration of all ideas."