Alumni Spotlight: David “Dave” Punzak, Tech Data
August 06, 2018
Dave was brought onboard following the IT distributor's $2.6 billion-plus acquisition of Avnet Technology Solutions.
During a recent conversation about his next phase, Dave discussed working in the IT distribution industry, how his new role is different than his experiences at a law firm, and why he doesn't mind parking outside.
Can you give some background on Tech Data?
Tech Data was founded in 1974 in [former CEO] Ed Raymond’s Clearwater garage.
It’s grown into a $38 billion a year company, with over 14,000 employees and worldwide offices.
As a dual IT distributor, Tech Data is the middleman between manufacturers on the one hand, and resellers, on the other. It buys from manufacturers in bulk — for example the computers and phone systems on our desks, and the smartphones in our hands — and sells them to resellers, who then sell to the end users.
Our value is not just in our core business of moving boxes, but also in helping our resellers set up the infrastructure to get the equipment up and running, to troubleshoot it, warranty it, fix it when it breaks, and, at the end of its useful life, pick it up and dispose of it properly. We also help our resellers know what the manufacturers plan to produce in the future, and help them anticipate their needs based on trends and current events.
That’s just our core business — we also operate a number of data centers, and provide software, cloud, mobility, and security services to our customers.
What are your responsibilities?
I work for the company’s Americas Division — there are two other divisions, for Europe and the Pacific. Within the Americas, my areas are finance, credit, transportation logistics — and then everything else that pops up. I report to Wayne Hanewicz [corporate vice president, general counsel, Americas, corporate secretary and legal operations], who reports to David Vetter, Tech Data’s EVP and CLO.
Are you seeing any in-house legal department trends?
The trend continues to be toward better matter management and budgeting, which really go hand-in-hand.
What are the biggest challenges facing Tech Data and the IT distribution industry?
Small margins. We may make about 1 percent, maybe a little more, hopefully not less, on most sales. That puts a premium on making sure business keeps getting done. You need a can-do attitude. You can’t sit on things — if you do, a sale could be lost. We also have to constantly reinvent ourselves, to figure out how to add value beyond moving boxes, which anybody can do. So we have to increase our margins by providing innovative services and solutions to our customers.
How would you describe the differences between practicing law at a firm and working in-house?
At any big law firm, you’re paid for one thing — to be a really good and productive lawyer. Here it’s different in that, while you have to be an excellent lawyer, you also have to know the business, inside and out. We need to know the accounting, finance, and tax implications of every lease, every credit agreement, and every distribution agreement — because those determine whether or not the company makes money. Also, a lot of what we do here is truncated. It’s more than issue-spotting, but we may have a very short period of time to review and comment on a document. We identify and resolve the big issues, and move on. We don’t strive for perfect documents. Instead it’s about getting it done right, but also quickly and inexpensively.
What do you like best about working in-house?
It’s great to not have to fill out time sheets, and to not have to go after, land, bill, and collect fees from clients. Part of what I like best is the tremendous collaboration here. Everybody has the same goals. Everybody’s smart. You work with your colleagues on a team — [Tech Data] lawyers and business people — who are all on the same side as you. When you’re an outside lawyer and you’re paid $500 to $700 an hour, it’s more aggressive, direct, and adversarial. In-house, everybody seems happier and more relaxed. It’s ‘We’ll work this out,’ as opposed to ‘I won’t bend at all, and you’ve got to do this my way.’ It’s a different environment, but at this stage in my career, it’s a great fit for me.
Has anything about working in-house surprised you?
The degree to which we are always watching our expenses and the bottom line. I park my car outside, which I haven’t done in 33 years. Guess who else parks outside? Everybody.
The information in this interview is accurate as of its date, August 6, 2018.
©2026 Carlton Fields, P.A. Carlton Fields practices law in California through Carlton Fields, LLP. Carlton Fields publications should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general information and educational purposes only, and should not be relied on as if it were advice about a particular fact situation. The distribution of this publication is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship with Carlton Fields. This publication may not be quoted or referred to in any other publication or proceeding without the prior written consent of the firm, to be given or withheld at our discretion. To request reprint permission for any of our publications, please use our Contact Us form via the link below. The views set forth herein are the personal views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the firm. This site may contain hypertext links to information created and maintained by other entities. Carlton Fields does not control or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this outside information, nor is the inclusion of a link to be intended as an endorsement of those outside sites.
The information on this website is presented as a service for our clients and Internet users and is not intended to be legal advice, nor should you consider it as such. Although we welcome your inquiries, please keep in mind that merely contacting us will not establish an attorney-client relationship between us. Consequently, you should not convey any confidential information to us until a formal attorney-client relationship has been established. Please remember that electronic correspondence on the internet is not secure and that you should not include sensitive or confidential information in messages. With that in mind, we look forward to hearing from you.