People

SARALEE MCCLELLAND KUNDE 66 A dairy ranchers’ daughter who became a grower of prized wine grapes and an irresistible force for the celebration of Sonoma County agriculture, Saralee McClelland Kunde passed away in January.  Revered by many, Kunde had been grappling with cancer since the fall of 2O12.  She became... Read More

EDGAR M. BRONFMAN 84 – THE BILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN and philanthropist who, as chairman of the Seagram Company, expanded his family’s liquor-based empire, passed away in December.  Mr. Bronfman also served as president of the World Jewish Congress and championed the rights of Jews everywhere.  He inherited control of Seagram from... Read More

GRAHAM MACKAY 64 – THE MAN WHO TRANSFORMED SABMiller from a local South African business group into an $82 billion dollar brewing giant, has passed away.  When Mackay started at SAB in 1978 during the apartheid era, sanctions were in place, foreign-exchange controls prevented international expansion and the brewer’s portfolio... Read More

CHARLES GORDON 86 – THE LIFE PRESIDENT of William Grant & Sons has passed away.  Gordon was a key driving force in building William Grant & Sons into a strong independent family-owned company.  The great-grandson of company founder William Grant, Gordon’s achievements include leading the Glenfiddich and Grant’s Scotch whisky... Read More

    Through eighteen years of families and friendships, hard and not-so-hard work, office parties and re-staffings, and one changing of the guard, we always relied on the wisdom of this amazing woman. We at Massachusetts Beverage Business have lost an important member of our family. We’ll miss you, dear... Read More

JANE MORREAU has been named CFO and Executive Vice President of Brown- Forman upon the retirement of current CFO DON BERG, who is retiring at the end of the current fiscal year on April 3O.  Morreau has over 22 years of business and financial experience at Brown-Forman, most recently in... Read More

JOHN DOUGHERTY has been named National Sales Director.  The appointment represents the first in a series of new initiatives and structural changes underway following the recent appointment of MARC GOODRICH to serve as company President.  He will assume responsibility for the ongoing development of Excelsior Wines’ Sales Division, which currently... Read More

The drinks company has made several key management appointments in its Wines and Champagnes division. JEFF AGDERN, who most recently served as Vice President, Wine and Spirits Marketing at Pernod Ricard’s Canadian sister company, Corby Spirit and Wine Limited, has returned to the US as Senior Vice President, Wines and... Read More

THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT of Heaven Hill Distilleries, who helped oversee the country’s largest, family-owned and operated producer and marketer of distilled, died on October 13.  As one of Heaven Hill’s senior executives, Mr. Shapira helped create and design the company’s two new visitor centers: the Bourbon Heritage Center in... Read More

FAMED CHICAGO restaurateur Charlie Trotter passed away in early November.  In 1987, Trotter opened his eponymous restaurant, dedicated to American fine dining with European-quality service and wine.  He helped introduce the chef tasting menu to the US.  The author of 14 cookbooks and a noted philanthropist, Mr. Trotter started out... Read More