<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 2.2
                     AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
                                          
          AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of October 21, 
1998 ("Amendment"), by and among Arrow Electronics, Inc., a New York 
corporation ("Parent"), Lear Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and 
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent ("Sub") and Richey Electronics, Inc., a 
Delaware corporation (the "Company").

          WHEREAS, Parent, Sub and the Company have entered into an Agreement 
and Plan of Merger dated as of September 30, 1998 (the "Merger Agreement"); 
and

          WHEREAS, Parent, Sub and the Company desire to amend certain 
provisions of the Merger Agreement;

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the 
respective representations, warranties, covenants, agreements and conditions 
hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties 
hereto agree that:

1.   The first sentence of Section 5.15(a) shall be amended by deleting the 
word "ten" and adding the word "five" in lieu thereof.

2.   Section 8.1 shall be amended by adding the section number ",5.21" after 
the section number "5.15" and before the word "and".

          Except as specifically amended hereby, the Merger Agreement shall 
remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

          This Amendment shall be governed and construed in accordance with 
the laws of the State of New York applicable to a contract executed and 
performed in such State, without giving effect to the conflicts of law 
principles thereof.

          This Amendment may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of 
which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become 
effective when two or more counterparts have been signed by each of the 
parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all 
parties need not sign the same counterpart.<PAGE>

<PAGE>

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to
be executed as of the day and year first above written.


                                            ARROW ELECTRONICS, INC.


                                            By:  /s/ Robert E. Klatell
                                            ----------------------------------
                                            Name:    Robert E. Klatell
                                            Title:   Executive Vice President

                                            LEAR ACQUISITION CORP.

                                            By:  /s/ Robert E. Klatell
                                            ----------------------------------
                                            Name:    Robert E. Klatell
                                            Title:   President

                                            RICHEY ELECTRONICS, INC.

                                            BY:  /s/ Richard N. Berger
                                            ----------------------------------
                                            Name:    Richard N. Berger
                                            Title:   CFO


                                        2