wine & spirits wholesalers of america | - u.s. …restaurant in 2005, laura spent 12 years in...

Jacques BezuidenhoutGlobal Brand Ambassador PartidaTequilaHead of Beverage Programs KimptonHotels

Currently Jacques is the Bar, Cocktail & Spirit Specialist for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ 60 plus restaurants and bars throughout the country, overseeing the company’s individual and national spirits menus as well as consulting on bar concepts. Jacques has also been selected to be on the Board of Advisors for Liquor.com and is the National Brand Ambassador for Partida Tequila.South African native Jacques Bezuidenhout began bartending there nearly 20 years ago and continued to do so in London and in San Francisco where he relocated in 1998. He has been voted Best Bartender in San Francisco by Anthony Dias Blue and is a judge in Ultimate Spirits Competition run by Paul Pacult and has also judged in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Under the direction of Bezuidenhout and Julio Bermejo, the acclaimed Tres Agaves in San Francisco won the “Spirits Restaurant of the Year” award from Santé magazine in 2006. He also helped launch the San Francisco chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild, one of the nation’s most active chapters, and has served as a brand ambassador for Plymouth Gin and Partida Tequila. In recognition of his work, he was named best American brand ambassador at the 2011 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.

Danny Brager SVP, Beverage Alcohol PracticeNielsen

Danny Brager leads Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice area, providing unique industry focused solutions, as well as supporting relationships with Nielsen’s many beer, wine, and spirits clients, as well as with industry groups and the media. In

this role, Danny and his team provides business information, analysis and insights.

Danny has well over 12 years of experience specific to the Beverage Alcohol industry, and over thirty years with Nielsen in both Canada and the United States, holding a variety of marketing and sales positions. He is a frequent speaker at many client and Industry events on the subject of Beverage Alcohol retail and consumer trends.

Danny holds an Honors Bachelor of Business Administration from York University in Toronto, Canada. After residing and working in Canada for many years, he now lives in Southern California.

David AikensVP, Multicultural Sales & MarketingGlazer’s,Inc.

David Aikens has been with Glazer’s since 2011 and has over 20 years promotional marketing, advertising and multicultural-specific consumer marketing experience. As the Vice President,

Multicultural Sales and Marketing (effective 2013), Aikens is responsible for marketing efforts across Glazer’s business channels to positively impact sales execution and engagement across multicultural markets, including African-American, Hispanic/Latino-American, Asian-American and GBLT populations. Aikens led the promotional marketing team that earned Diageo’s “Golden Bar Award” for Multicultural Marketing in 2012.

Prior to joining Glazer’s, Aikens held various positions in advertising, distribution, promotions, marketing and new business development working with a diverse portfolio of clients in the beverage alcohol and consumer products industries. His knowledge across multiple marketing avenues, as well as his multicultural market expertise, positions Glazer’s well to continue its lead in this area. Aikens earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Rochester Institute of Technology.

John BeaudettePresident & CEOMHW,Ltd.

John Beaudette has been active in the beverage alcohol industry for over 30 years. Since 1995, Mr. Beaudette has been President and CEO of MHW Ltd., a national beverage alcohol import, distribution, and service company located in Manhasset, New

York. MHW provides US import and distribution services to wineries, breweries, and distilleries throughout the world. From 1985 to 1994, Mr. Beaudette worked with PepsiCo Inc. and its affiliate company Monsieur Henri Wines in the distribution of Stolichnaya™ Vodka and other wine and spirit brands. During this period, Mr. Beaudette held positions such as Director of Planning for PepsiCo Wines & Spirits Intl. and V. P. of Finance & CFO of Monsieur Henri Wines Ltd. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Mr. Beaudette was Manager of Accounting for Somerset Importers Ltd., US importers of Tanqueray™ and Johnnie Walker™ and other spirit brands. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of The National Association of Beverage Importers Inc. (NABI) in Washington DC and serves as Chairman. Mr. Beaudette is a frequent speaker and lecturer at beverage alcohol events around the world and is one of the organizers of the annual US Drinks Conference and US Beverage Alcohol Forum. He holds a BS degree in Accounting from Villanova University and passed the Certified Public Accountant exam in New York.

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SPEAKER BIOSPacific Group, Bain & Co. and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Kit’s other start-up ventures include helping to launch Della.com (acquired by WeddingChannel.com) as Director of Business Development as well as launching Infant Advantage (acquired by Parentech) as VP of Sourcing and Production. Kit started his career at The Gap, where he spent 5 years in merchandising and global sourcing and production. He graduated from Princeton University.

Bryan CrowleyPresident & COOVeeVSpirits

Bryan is the President and COO at VeeV® Spirits LLC, the world’s first açaí spirit and the first carbon-neutral spirits brand, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.

Prior to working at VeeV, Crowley served as Chief Marketing Officer for Pabst Brewing Company, where he was recruited to transform the marketing function of the$700M+ Pabst portfolio of 34 brands. Responsible for business and portfolio strategy, brand strategy development and execution, field marketing and financial performance, he helped drive a +10% pt. volume turnaround in the 2011. His innovative approach helped to reenergize key brands like Pabst, Colt45 and, most notably, Old Milwaukee, where he worked with Will Ferrell on the award-winning campaign that spurred a +15% pt brand turnaround.

Prior to Pabst, Crowley served as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Mars Inc., leading the iconic UNCLE BEN’S® brand. During his 8-year tenure, his strategic focus on both innovation and core business led to industry-leading sales and profit growth.

Prior to being recruited to Mars, Crowley was a senior brand manager of the $500MM Hunt’s Tomatoes brand at Con Agra Foods, where his revitalization efforts resulted in both sales and share gains.

Crowley began his career in sales at Anheuser-Busch after a short stint as a tennis professional. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and has completed executive training programs in general management, marketing and innovation at the Harvard and London Business Schools, and the Darden and Kellogg Schools of Management.

Laura Cullen VP, Sales Manager, On PremisePacificWine&SpiritsofNorthernCalifornia

Originally from New York City, Laura grew up in the restaurant business; her father was an owner operator for 42 years before retiring in 2006. Her own career began in restaurants, and shifted to corporate sales and training. Prior to the opening of her

restaurant in 2005, Laura spent 12 years in the wholesale wine and spirits industry specializing in on-premise sales, marketing and training.

Laura Cullen spent the last eight years as an owner operator of Clarke’s in Miami Beach, a project that started as an MBA thesis, and a lifelong dream. Laura’s restaurant, Clarke’s received local and national acclaim. After eight years in business she sold her bar in Miami Beach in 2013 and moved to San Francisco to accept the position of Vice President Sales Manager Northern California On Premise for Pacific Wine and Spirits.

Jacob BriarsGlobal Director of Trade AdvocacyBacardi

Jacob Briars is the Global Director of Trade Advocacy, Bacardi, the world’s largest family-owned spirits business. He leads an incredible team of more than 100 brand ambassadors and

trainers in key markets around the world, working across iconic brands such as Bacardi rum, Grey Goose vodka and Bombay Sapphire gin. Jacob is an award winning bartender and highly respected educator with huge experience across different brands, venues and cocktail cultures. Initially a lawyer in his native New Zealand, Jacob caught the bartending bug and garnered awards at 2 world renowned venues, before joining a small vodka brand called 42 Below. Jacob became known as the ‘Vodka Professor’ - one of the industry’s first Global ‘Brand Ambassadors’ - and he used a unique approach to education to make 42 Below one of the fastest growing spirit brands in the world. Jacob has extensive experience as both a brand builder (across all budgets!) and a strategist, using education and engagement to unlock the passionate advocate at the heart of the modern bartender.

George Briskie National Sales ManagerMarsalleCompany

George Briskie has thirty years of experience in the beverage industry with a proven track record of delivering outstanding results with world class companies such as Beam Global and E & J Gallo Winery. He has demonstrated excellence in a diverse

range of increasingly demanding responsibilities including distributor and broker management, key account management, regional marketing, national product marketing, and corporate training and development.

George joined The Marsalle Company in May, 2012. His responsibilities include managing the US business and to execute strategies designed to establish distribution and market presence, increase profitable sales volumes, and build excellent relationships with Marsalle’s distributors and customers.He resides in Dallas, TX.

Kit CodikCEO & FounderLiquor.com

A veteran of the start-up world and a serial entrepreneur, Kit Codik co-founded Liquor.com, the premier national digital media brand for all things related to cocktails, spirits, mixology and the lifestyle of “cocktail culture.” Liquor.com has created a

Digital-to-Local platform to educate, inspire, engage (online) and then activate consumers (and key influencers) with premium on-premise experiences. Prior to founding Liquor.com, Kit founded The Green Lake Group, a San Francisco-based advisory firm that specializes in business development, fundraising and corporate development for Internet companies. Previously Kit co-founded and was Executive Vice President of Business and Corporate Development for Finacity, a specialty finance company focused on the securitization of corporate trade receivables, a collaborative venture between Bank of America, Euler Hermes, Amroc Investments and ABN AMRO Bank. Kit helped form and fund Finacity while a Principal at eVolution Global Partners, a corporate venture investment firm founded by Texas



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David KanbarCOOLNJImports

David Kanbar started his business career with a mortgage company started out of his parents’ house, on his first day after graduating from college. He built the company to a $200mm (originations) mortgage business, which he sold 4½ years later.

He then embarked on what is now a 15 year career in the alcoholic beverage industry, joining the burgeoning Skyy Vodka (founded by David’s uncle and a close mentor, Maurice Kanbar). Kanbar spent almost five years at Skyy, rising to the title of Executive Vice President.

Maurice eventually sold Skyy to Campari, and Kanbar went on to start several new businesses, mostly in beverage alcohol, which included Bambu Rum, Bulldog Gin and Skinnygirl Margarita (in partnership with Bethenny Frankel and sold to Beam Global: NYSE: BEAM after only 18 months on the market).

For his most recent venture, Kanbar partnered with his long-time friend, Raphael Yakoby (Creator of Hpnotiq and Nuvo), to launch Birthday Cake Vineyards, which is the leader in the confectionary wine category. After only seven months on the market, the brand is sold in over 15 states and counts Glazers and Southern as its largest wholesalers

Between Kanbar’s experience at Skyy, from the early stages until it was a major brand, as well as various startups, he has a unique combination of both small brand and large company experience.

Mr. Kanbar earned a B.A. in Economics from New York University.

Mike LakustaFounding Partner & CEOEthniFacts

Starting his CPG career at Procter & Gamble in 1979, Mike has worked in multiple senior management and marketing roles during his career at E&J Gallo and major Wholesalers within the adult beverage industry. As SVP of International Business

Development & Multicultural Marketing for a multibillion dollar beverage company, Mike worked with and advised many major beverage suppliers both domestically & internationally and has traveled extensively in Mexico building relationships with Suppliers and Distributors and gaining a deep understanding of the multi-national consumer. His service on industry & inter-industry multicultural committees confirmed the common frustration with lack of available multicultural research and actionable insights that led to the founding of EthniFacts.

EthniFacts is a multicultural research and insights provider focused on consumer behavior, public opinion and civic engagement. The principal EthniFacts research target is the rapidly changing nature of ethnic culture in the United States and specifically the expanding role of Hispanics in the creation of an American National Culture in which multicultural populations are becoming central players of a New Mainstream. Recent studies include innovative culture-focused consumer studies and reports for clients including AT&T, Telemundo, Nielsen, LatinWorks, Dieste, NBC Universal, DirecTV, AARP, Mission Foods, W.J. Deutsch, CVS, Beam Global, Target, Disney, and Moet Hennessy among others.

Simon FordCo-Founder 86Co. Former Head Global Brand Ambassador PernodRicard

Simon is a leading voice of the global cocktail and bar industry with over 20 years experience in bartending, educating on cocktails & spirits and marketing some of the biggest spirits brands on the planet. He is regularly invited to lead education sessions, judge global competitions, and deliver seminars at international conferences such as the NY Food & Wine Festival, Sydney Bar Show, London Cocktail week, The CIA’s International Association of Culinary Professionals, and Tales of the Cocktail among others. His expertise is often requested in the media with appearances on Emeril Lagasse’s “Emeril’s Table,” CNN , Fox, Wall Street Journal Live, and a series of how-to video’s for Liquor.com. He has been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, Wall Street Journal, Men’s Health, the Huffington Post, and was featured on the cover of Tasting Panel in 2012 and called “The guru of the modern brand builders” by Inside F&B. Simon was awarded Best International Brand Ambassador in 2007 and Best US Brand Ambassador in 2009 for his work on Plymouth Gin at the Tales of the Cocktail conference’s Awards, the spirit, cocktail & bar world’s most prestigious, Simon has now assumed the role of chairman and co-hosts the Awards each year with “Three Sheets” star Zane Lamprey. Simon is now the co-founder of The 86 Company, a spirits company dedicated to creating brands designed in unison with professional bartenders and celebrated distillers from around the world. The 86 Co launched Fords Gin, Tequila Cabeza, Aylesbury Duck Vodka and Caña Brava Rum in September 2012.

Penn JensenExecutive DirectorAmericanCraftDistillersAssociation(ACDA)

Penn has worked primarily in publishing, craft brewing, and craft distilling, first with his own publishing company (Penn & Ink), and then as Vice President of Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington IN, as Executive Director of the Indiana Brewer’s Guild, Vice

President of the American Distilling Institute and presently as Executive Director of ACDA. He has been influential in developing outreach programs to both consumers and industry professionals through a distilling internship program, video documentaries, and as Consulting Editor of Artisan Spirit Magazine. His primary focus, however, has been on the creation and development of a not-for-profit trade association representing the needs and issues of licensed craft distillers (DSPs) as they experience unprecedented growth.



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Stefani LiDestri Owner & CMOLiDestriSpirits

Although relative newbies to the industry, Stefani LiDestri, her brands, and her spirits company are raising some eyebrows. On the heels of an indulgent career in fashion as owner of Veruca Garment Galleries and stylist to artists at Universal Records, New

West Records and other independents - Stefani brought a fashion forward retro rad pop to the marketplace with her brands.

Stefani’s coffeehouse-inspired creamy line of cocktails, mü, (no need to get fancy- it’s pronounced ‘moo’) was first to launch in 2012. The mystique of the name and its edgy branding earned nods almost immediately after its release as it promptly went on to sweep the tasting awards at the WSWA 70th Annual Convention & Exposition last April. Mü took home the coveted ‘Hot, New, Now.’ Media Award, and garnered silver, gold, and double gold medals, respectively, for its three introductory flavors.

Having a strong tie to her Sicilian roots it came as no surprise that LiDestri’s Pink Limoncello was the second distinctive brand to launch. Plucked straight from Stefani’s head and heart, Pink Limoncello is developing into a viable brand today. In fact, she believes this package to be the most beautiful of her portfolio – an opinion supported by a 2013 first place win from the prestigious, and oh so coveted, Communication Arts Award. Despite her fashionable nature, Stefani and her brands are anything but a fad.

Robert LipmanPresident & CEOLipmanBrothers

Robert is the President and CEO of Lipman Brothers, Inc./R. S. Lipman Company, a major distributor of alcoholic beverages. Robert’s career spans over 40 years in the beverage industry. He presently serves on the boards of Wine and Spirits Wholesalers

of America, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, SunTrust Bank (Nashville), Taigan, Inc., Integrated Healing Technologies and is president of Nashville Polo Club. Robert is affiliated with and has served on numerous civic organizations boards. He is past president of several organizations including the Nashville Public Education Foundation and Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, and past chairman and president of the Nashville Institute for the Arts. He is a past board member of the Nashville Symphony, the Nashville Ballet and University School of Nashville. In 2008, Robert was honored by Community Nashville as a Human Relations Award recipient and by Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Robert was honored in 2013 by the Nashville Public Education Foundation with a Distinguished Alumni Award and in 2014 by Park Center of Nashville for his “generous philanthropic spirit”.

Theresa M. McCarthyAssistant Administrator, Headquarter Operations TTB

Theresa M. McCarthy is the Assistant Administrator for Headquarters Operations in the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and has direct oversight of the bureau’s policy offices, which include the Advertising, Labeling and

Formulation Division, Regulations and Rulings Division, International Trade Division, Scientific Services Division, and Knowledge Management Staff. She was appointed to this position in January of 2013. Ms. McCarthy has been with the Bureau since its inception in 2003. Prior to her current position she served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Headquarters Operations for two years where she led the bureau-wide Transition to Marketplace Review of Alcohol Beverage Products initiative to streamline alcohol labeling and formula review processes and expand the Alcohol Beverage Sampling Program. From 2003 through 2010, Ms. McCarthy managed the Regulations and Rulings Division (RRD) and was responsible for the oversight of the regulatory process including the issuance of notices of proposed rulemaking, Treasury decisions, rulings and procedures.

Charlie MerinoffChairman & CEOTheCharmerSunbeltGroup

Charlie Merinoff is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Charmer Sunbelt Group (CSG), one of the nation’s leading distributors of fine wines and spirits. Following his graduation

from the University of Wisconsin in 1980, Charles joined the family’s business, holding various positions in operations, purchasing and sales. In 1991, Charlie was named President of Charmer Industries, the family’s Metro New York business.

In 1994, the family acquired Sunbelt Beverage Corporation, then operating distributorships in several Eastern states. The Sunbelt Beverage Corporation continued to expand through acquisitions and partnerships, and in 1997 the wholesale companies in which the family had an interest became known as The Charmer Sunbelt Group. In 2011, he was named Chairman of the Board of The Charmer Sunbelt Group.

Charlie devotes a significant amount of time and resources to charitable organizations. He has been a member of the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation since 1999, and is currently its Treasurer and an active member of its Board of Directors. Additionally, Charlie sits on the Board of Trustees of the Culinary Institute of America, the Board of Directors of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Board of Trustees of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health Systems and the Executive Committee of Lenox Hill Hospital. Charlie has been honored over the years by the Boys Town of Italy, the Boy Scouts of America, the UJA-Federation of New York and the American Cancer Society.

Charlie spearheads the annual “Wine and Wishes” tasting and auction, which has raised over $5.5 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York over the past 11 years. He is the immediate Past Chairman of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association of America (WSWA).

Thomas MooneyCo-owner & CEOHouseSpiritsDistillery

House Spirits Distillery is a leader of America’s craft distilling revolution and the producer of several award-winning small-batch spirits including Aviation American Gin, Westward Oregon Straight Malt Whiskey, Volstead Hand Crafted Vodka,

and Krogstad Aquavit. Under Mr. Mooney’s leadership, House Spirits Distillery has forged distribution partnerships with Southern Wine & Spirits, RNDC, and leading regional wholesalers. Mr. Mooney is one of four regional chairmen on the DISCUS small distillery advisory board, and a founding member and director of the American Craft Distillers Association (ACDA).

Prior to this, Mr. Mooney held a number of senior leadership positions at Roll Global in Los Angeles, CA. Most notably Mr. Mooney played a crucial role in the 2004 acquisition of FIJI Water and in the brand’s subsequent rise to market leadership in the premium bottled water category. After the acquisition, Mr. Mooney served as Chief Marketing Officer and he led a brand re-launch that tripled FIJI Water revenue. Later, as the international P&L leader, Mr. Mooney quadrupled non-U.S. revenue by recruiting top sales talent, upgrading underperforming distributors in existing markets, and launching the brand into 26 new markets. Mr. Mooney also developed and actively managed FIJI Water’s industry-leading environmental sustainability program and he was a trustee of the charitable FIJI Water Foundation.

Mr. Mooney’s professional experience also includes brand management at Procter & Gamble, new product development and commercialization at Kellogg, and management consulting at Booz & Company.

Mr. Mooney holds a Bachelor in Science degree, with honors, from Purdue University and an MBA, with high distinction (Baker Scholar), from the Harvard Business School. He is involved in a number of community organizations and serves as a trustee of Ingenium Schools, a charter management organization that operates multiple campuses in the Los Angeles area.

Alyssa J. RappFounder & CEOBottlenotes,Inc.

Bottlenotes is the leading new media company in the wine category dedicated to educating and entertaining wine enthusiasts via four primary channels: email newsletters (The Daily Sip®, received daily by over 300,000 wine enthusiasts by

email and 180,000 on Facebook), and the Weekly Pint, interactive events such as the Around the World in 80 Sips® national event series, social media platforms, and iPhone applications.

Alyssa is the author of Bottlenotes Guide to Wine: Around the World in 80 Sips (Adam’s Media, October 2008) and frequently contributes to digital publications including Forbes.com and The Huffington Post. She has been a guest on The TODAY Show, Fox Business Network, The Rachael Ray Show, ABC, and NBC as an expert on wine and entrepreneurship.

Alyssa earned a B.A. in Political Science and the History of Art from Yale University in 2000 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business in 2005. Alyssa was named as one of Inc.’s “30 Under 30” coolest entrepreneurs in America, one of Playboy.com’s “10 Sexiest CEOs” in America, and one of the Top 100 most influential people in the US Wine Industry (#23). Alyssa serves on the Board of Trustees for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the country’s preeminent contemporary dance company, and on the Executive Board of Spark Program, a non-profit that provides transformative apprenticeships for middle school students. Alyssa and her husband, Hal Morris, welcomed their first daughter Audrey to the world in September 2012.

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wine & spirits wholesalers of america | - u.s. …restaurant in 2005, laura spent 12 years in...

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