SECOND TEAM

Brian Alexander  Raymond James & Associates

St. Petersburg, Florida–based Brian Alexander of Raymond James & Associates captures second-place honors in this new sector. Alexander, described by one portfolio manager as “very thoughtful and intellectually honest,” named Arrow Electronics his top pick in July 2010, at $24.14. He believed that the Melville, New York–based distributor of electronic components and harness management systems for the aerospace and defense industry, among others, was poised for strong growth — and he was right. In February the company reported that year-over-year sales leaped 27.7 percent in 2010, to $18.7 billion, and net income catapulted 288.3 percent, to $123.5 million. The stock raced to $31.20 in late August, for a 29.2 percent advance that outstripped the sector by 34.4 percentage points.