Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/253609
february 2014 / the tasting panel / 99 of our revenue is derived from wine," said Gardner. "We know that to be competi- tive we have to stay ahead of trends." By leveraging its success with WSET, RNDC has taken wine and spirits education within the organization to new heights. Said Rosenberg, "We want our associates to be able to speak more authoritatively about products and interact luently with their accounts." Patronage and scholarships often go hand in hand and this month RNDC will announce the recipient of a week-long work experience externship designed to pro- vide exposure to all aspects of its business. The WSET scholar will spend three days shadowing executives Ken Rosenberg Vice President, Wine, and Joe Gardner, Vice President, Fine Wine in their roles. The remainder of the week will be spent working with a partner vineyard focusing on WSET's hallmarks—the factors that contribute to wine quality, style and price. WSET certiication, which Harris describes as an "irrefutable metric for accomplish- ment," sits at the top of RNDC's education hierarchy. Once associates have success- fully mastered the company's robust internal content that covers their wine and spirits portfolios, they are graduated to the Level I and II WSET courses. And with a growing number of Diploma graduates who are well versed in both product knowledge and the global business of wine entering the ield, RNDC is equipped to add value to the channel and manage change as accounts adopt new technology and broaden their awareness around trends like sustainable packaging. The company's efforts to support continuing education for its employees mirror a corporate culture that includes a long history of civic, cultural and charitable philan- thropy. With a workforce that is more than 7,500 employees strong, RNDC is a power house; it distributes and wholesales wine and spirits in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The company, which traces its founding roots back to the late 19th century in Pensacola, Florida, is the second largest of its kind in the U.S. RNDC's Joe Gardner, VP Fine Wine, and Ken Rosenberg, VP of Wine. Photo taken at Canoe restaurant in Atlanta.