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HONORING
The Wirtz Family

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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

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