Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/237615
PHOTO: DAVID HUFF Spirit of the Falcon: Jim Ryan When Brand Ambassador Jim Ryan says he met his match in Hendrick's, he's not exaggerating. His trajectory from classically trained actor to globe-trotting William Grant & Sons Brand Ambassador is peppered with experiences and eccentricities that mirror the gin's very distinctive personality. Like the spirit's recent "Voyages into the Unusual" road show, Ryan's own journey has included some milestones—a stint at the Perry Street restaurant under the tutelage of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and an industry nod when he was named Best American Brand Ambassador at the 2012 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. And it includes some bespoke interests that marry well with Hendrick's cultivated tastes: Ryan is a novice falconer, a Swiss road bicycle collector and amateur yogi. "When Hendrick's and I first met with the possibility of me being a fulltime brand ambassador, I asked myself if I understood the brand in a way that merited spending time away from home and with strangers. The other question I asked myself is could I see myself doing this with any other brand? The answers were yes and no. " "Hendrick's and I 'get' each other—we always have, he said. The spirit, " like falconry, isn't for everyone, says Ryan. "And we're okay with that. We're comfortable with it not being for everyone. If you like something different, we'll embrace you for it, he said. —Lana Bortolot " Reyka Vodka is one of the recent additions to the William Grant portfolio, making it a brand to look out for. Jim Ryan is Brand Ambassador for Hendrick's Gin, one of the William Grant brands that has propelled the portfolio toward the future. exciting, with a huge people component." As with most salespeople, the only downside is paperwork. "But we have fabulous products and invest for the long term to build strong, distinctive brands and foster energetic, creative employees." Roman agrees with this emphasis on acquiring top talent, particularly among Brand Ambassadors. "Over the last five years, our hires have made a huge difference in all of our major markets." WGS has mainly recruited from a highly qualified sub-segment of the talent pool. "As a smaller company we're agile and entrepreneurial, but we have to run lean. So we need people who can add value immediately." Employees such as Purchese, Roman and Voisey show the wisdom of such an intensive investment in people. "Other companies focus on price per volume," says Roman, "but we invest in our brands, especially on-premise. That's turned out to be a very good strategy in today's market. As a result, our net sales volume per employee is much higher than the industry average." Even with such tremendous success over time, Yusen knows that standing 54 / the tasting panel / january 2014 TP0114_034-65.indd 54 12/19/13 9:28 PM