To all those who have called me in the last few months, asking when EDN's Top North American electronic components distributors list would be out: It's here and it is something to brag about!

There's no way around the fact that 2008 was a hard year on sales, much thanks to Q4. But among the top 25 distributors on our list, 11 reported double-digit 5-year CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) in the 2008 survey and 21 reported year-over-year revenue growth.

Avnet is number one in the 2008 list ranked by revenue, followed by Arrow and Future. Worth special note is also number five Digi-Key, which showed a 20% five-year CAGR for revenue as of 2008, and number 15 Mouser, which showed a 33% CAGR and a stellar 30% gain in 2008 revenue year over year.

You can access the list via the "Weathering the storm" PDF located in "Shedding some light on the stimulus package," an article that looks at how distributors are seeking opportunities in infrastructure and energy provisions. As always, any comments you have are welcome below.