Anthony R. Hamilton; Electronics Executive

Anthony R. Hamilton, a leading electronics industry executive who launched the nation’s first semiconductor distribution company, has died at age 64.

Hamilton, who died Thursday of liver cancer, had served since 1980 as chairman and chief executive officer of Avnet Inc., a New York-based electronics firm.

The Brentwood resident received numerous industry awards in recent years, including recognition as one of Electronic Business magazine’s “Ten Best Electronic Industry Executives” for the last three years. Hamilton worked out of an office at Hamilton/Avnet Electronics, an Avnet subsidiary, in Culver City.

Hamilton served two years in the U.S. Army in World War II and later attended Columbia College.

A native of North Bergen, N.J., he formed Hamilton Electro Sales in 1957. The firm became the nation’s first semiconductor distributor. The company went public four years later and it was acquired by Avnet Inc. in 1962.

Hamilton was well compensated for his position at the company in recent years, earning in excess of $1 million annually and making the list of the nation’s top-paid executives in 1985.

A member of the National Electronic Distributors Assn., the Radio Pioneers of Southern California and the Pepperdine University Associates, Hamilton was also a supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, Child Help U.S.A. and the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.

In 1987, The Anthony R. Hamilton Educational Technology Center at Culver City High School was established in honor of his 30th anniversary in the electronics industry.

Hamilton is survived by his wife, Terry; two sons, Anthony Jr., of Orange County, and Richard, of Sunnyvale, Calif.; three daughters, Deborah Sword of Los Angeles, Terry Beaton of Del Mar, and Sandra Hamilton of Eugene, Ore., and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be private.