Ronald Stordahl
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ronald Stordahl is the chief executive officer of electronic component distributor Digi-Key
Corporation, located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
. It was Dr. Ronald A. Stordahl's interest in ham radio that provided the springboard for what has become Digi-Key Corporation today. While in college he assembled and began selling a digital electronic keyer kit for sending radiotelegraph code for ham radio operators. It was called the Digi-Key.
After obtaining his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Stordahl returned to his hometown of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The keyer kit was discontinued and he began selling electronic components in 1972. The Digi-Key "Keyer" is long gone, but Digi-Key Corporation has become one of the fastest growing electronic component distributors in the world. The privately-held company has annual sales of over $1.5 billion and employs over 2,400 people. Stordahl founded the company in 1972, beginning with a single employee.
Digi-Key
Digi-Key is the fourth largest electronic component distributor in North America and a broad-line distributor of board level components. It ranks as the 8th largest electronic component distributor in the world. Ronald Stordahl founded the company in 1972 and its name was derived from the digital...
Corporation, located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...
. It was Dr. Ronald A. Stordahl's interest in ham radio that provided the springboard for what has become Digi-Key Corporation today. While in college he assembled and began selling a digital electronic keyer kit for sending radiotelegraph code for ham radio operators. It was called the Digi-Key.
After obtaining his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Stordahl returned to his hometown of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The keyer kit was discontinued and he began selling electronic components in 1972. The Digi-Key "Keyer" is long gone, but Digi-Key Corporation has become one of the fastest growing electronic component distributors in the world. The privately-held company has annual sales of over $1.5 billion and employs over 2,400 people. Stordahl founded the company in 1972, beginning with a single employee.