HONORING
The Wirtz Family
The Wirtz Family has been a leader in the beverage industry for decades and spanning multiple generations of its family-run business. Today, third and fourth generation family members are active in the business founded by family patriarch Arthur M. Wirtz in 1945. In 2016, two pioneering companies – Wirtz Beverage Group and Charmer Sunbelt Group – merged to form Breakthru Beverage Group. Today, Breakthru is one of North America’s leading distributers of premium wine, spirits and beer brands with 7,000 employees, $6+ billion in annual revenue and operations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
PAST HONOREES
2019 | BRUCE A. HUNTER | Shaw-Ross International Importers
2018 | ALAN W. DREEBEN | Republic National Distributing Co.
2017 | DEBORAH BRENNER | Women of the Vine & Spirits
2016 | DEIRDRE MAHLAN | Diageo PLC
2015 | MICHAEL J. KEYES | Brown-Forman Corporation
2014 | BILL NEWLANDS | Beam Suntory
2013 | CHARLES MERINOFF | The Charmer Sunbelt Group
2012 | DAVID S. TAUB & MARC D. TAUB | Palm Bay International
2011 | WILLIAM DEUTSCH & PETER DEUTSCH | Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits
2010 | ROB SANDS | Constellation Brands, Inc.
2009 | HARVEY R. CHAPLIN & WAYNE E. CHAPLIN | Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.
2008 | EDWARD BROWN | The Patrón Spirits Company
2007 | ALAIN BARBET | Pernod Ricard USA
2006 | JIM CLERKIN | Beam Global Spirits & Wine
2006 | GERARD M. RUVO | SKYY Spirits LLC
2004 | R. MICHAEL MONDAVI | Folio Wine Company
2003 | JAMES L. BAREUTHER | Brown-Forman Corporation
2002 | MICHEL BORD | Pernod Ricard USA
2001 | TODD MARTIN | Allied Domecq
2000 | JOHN ESPOSITO | Schieffelin & Somerset Co.
1999 | MICHAEL CHEEK | Brown-Forman Corporation
1998 | EDUARDO M. SARDINA | Bacardi North America, Inc.
1997 | ANTHONY P. FOGLIO | IDV North America Spirits
1996 | RICHARD SANDS | The Canandaigua Wine Company
1995 | JOEL GOSLER | William Grant & Sons, Inc.
1994 | STEVEN J. KALAGHER | Seagram Spirits & Wine Group
1993 | FREDERICK J. LE DREW | IDV North America Spirits
1992 | DEREK ANDERSON | William Grant & Sons, Inc.
1991 SYLVESTER T. RIBAUDO | Austin, Nichols & Company
1990 | GEORGE G. REICHLING | United Distillers Glenmore
1989 | ALEXANDER L. BERKE, Schenley Industries
1988 | PETER M. THOMPSON | The Paddington Corp.
1987 | RICHARD CACCIATO | Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd.
1986 | HERMAN MERINOFF | Charmer Industries
1985 | M. JACQUELINE MCCURDY | Joseph E. Seagram & Sons
1984 | J. PENN KAVANAGH | Schieffelin & Somerset Co.
1983 | BILL WILBUR | Seagram Spirits & Wine Group
1982 | JOHN E. HEILMANN | Norwood Enterprises, Inc.
1981 | RICHARD NEWMAN | Stricker & Zagor
1980 | JACK R. BATTIPAGLIA | Retailers Alliance
1979 | FERDIE A. FALK | Ancient Age Distilling
1978 | MARTIN G. TAUB | Gallo Wine Distributors
