Fortune magazine’s annual World’s Most Admired Companies list is out.

Of any wholesaler-distributor, Graybar showed up the most. The electrical distributor ranked No. 1 in diversified wholesalers, but also found itself in the top 10 on several breakout lists, including management quality, long-term investment, financial soundness, quality of product and services, use of assets, people management and innovation.

(An interview with Graybar CFO Beatty D’Alessandro was featured in the Feb. 25, 2009, issue of MDM. Read it here.)

Foodservice distributor Sysco also made the financial soundness list.
 
For the overall wholesaler categories, Grainger came in second in Diversified, followed by Reliance Steel & Aluminum, Airgas and Genuine Parts Co. In Electronic, Avnet came out on top with Ingram Micro in second as Most Admired. Sysco topped the Food and Grocery list, and Henry Schein topped the Health Care list.
 
The survey was compiled by polling executives, directors and analysts about the 15 largest international companies and 10 largest U.S. companies in each of the 64 industry categories. They then rated those companies in nine areas. Only companies with scores ranking in the top half of their industry made the list.”