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STEFANIE MELCHERT has been appointed as State Manager for New England.  She has over 13 years of beverage industry experience, most recently as On-Premise Manager for Massachusetts with Brown-Forman.  Previously, she held positions with Brown-Forman in Wisconsin and with General Beverage Sales Company.

CATHERINE VIEIRA has been appointed Senior Director, Trade Marketing Activation.  She will work with the Trade Marketing, Field Sales and Category Management teams to develop the overall channel and customer strategy and standards that support annual brand plans and ensure delivery of the company objectives.  She will also team with... Read More

SAM SPENCER has been hired as Vice President of Marketing.  Before joining Avión, Spencer was with consumer products company Unilever, where he served in various strategic marketing capacities for nine years.

MARK BREENE has been appointed as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.  He replaces Philippe Roederer, who was Senior Vice President of Marketing.  Roederer is now the Senior Vice President for Channel Development. In this position, Breene will lead the marketing and branding efforts of the company’s heritage brands... Read More

Darrell Johnson has been named Senior Director, Regional Marketing.  In his new role, Johnson will be responsible for leading the regional marketing group, as well as driving local programs and sponsorships that support brand marketing strategies.  Additionally, he will guide program development, oversee execution, facilitate cross-regional trade promotions, and interface... Read More

Nick Lake has been appointed as the company’s new Senior Director-Category Management.  In his role, Lake will be responsible for leading 16 managers focused on national and regional off-premise and on-premise chain accounts.  Most recently, Lake served as Vice President Group Client Director for the beverage alcohol industry for Nielsen. ... Read More

Industry training executive MIKE DUNBAR has been appointed to the new position of Director-Training and Education.  Dunbar will develop, manage and lead sales training and product knowledge programs across the United States involving the wines of Banfi Vintner’s two sales and marketing groups, Banfi and Excelsior.  His outreach will include... Read More

Perhaps it’s the fresh Scottish air, maybe it’s good genes or possibly it’s indulging in a tipple of scotch, but whatever her secret, Scotland’s oldest lady, Janet Roberts, has reached the impressive age of 11O. The last surviving granddaughter of William Grant, the founder of Glenfiddich Distillery, Janet celebrated her... Read More

CHRISTOPHER BAUDER has been appointed as the Bourbon Category Business Team (CBT) General Manager.  In this role, Bauder will lead Beam’s largest, top-performing spirits category and spearhead the continued growth of all bourbon brands in the US, including Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, and Basil Hayden’s.  Before joining Beam,... Read More

ROBERT POLET has been named as a Non-Executive Director. He replaces GIANLUCA BROZETTI of Asprey International.  Polet has been CEO and President of the Gucci Group for the past seven years. Previously, he was President of Unilever’s Worldwide Ice Cream and Frozen Foods division.