Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/26650
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT appointments BevForce Movers & Shakers Mark Levinson, president of A. Hardy USA, an established premium wine and spirits Rick Karachun. import company, announces the hiring of Rick Karachun as Wine Director. Karachun, who brings 30 years of industry experi- ence, will develop and expand A. Hardy’s fi ne wine portfolio. Donard Gaynor has been Donard Gaynor. named Senior Vice President, Corporate Development for Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. In this new role, Gaynor is responsible for industry relations and advancing the company’s growth strategy by building strategic commercial business partnerships. Lesya Lysyj. Lesya Lysyj is the new Chief Marketing Offi cer for Heineken USA. She will join the company’s management team and will report to President and Chief Executive Offi cer Dolf van den Brink. Ray Wolko≠ , 35-year veteran in the wine and spirits industry, has returned to the Beverly Glen Marketplace in Bel Air, CA as its Wine & Spirits Director. Wolkoff also operates Ray’s Wine Adventures to promote wine din- ners and trips and is a co-chair of the California Winemasters event for Cystic Fibrosis. 12 / the tasting panel / march 201 1 Mike Kenton has been named CEO at Ascentia Wine Estates. He had been President & CEO at Artesa Winery and Aveníu Brands. Phil Stobaugh has been named Director of Sales, Southeast Region at United States Beverage. He had been Texas and Oklahoma State Manager at United States Beverage. Todd Richman has been named Corporate Mixologist at Sidney Frank Importing Company. He had been Specialty Spirits Ambassador at Frederick Wildman & Sons. Joe Gardner has been named Vice President, Fine Wine at RNDC-USA. He had been Wine Manager at National Distributing Company of Atlanta, Georgia. Andy Loy has been named National Sales Director at United States Beverage. He had been Sales Director, South Region at United States Beverage. Greg Bowdish has been named Vice President, National Accounts and Marketing at RNDC-USA. He had been Vice President, National Accounts– Retail at RNDC-USA. Tavarus Hogans has been named District Manager for Off-Premise in Northeast Florida at Pernod Ricard USA. He had been Key Account Manager in Tampa at Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida. Jay Harkins has been named Vice President of Sales for the Classic & Vintage Artisanal Spirits Collection (C&V) at Domaine Select Wine Estates. He had been District Manager and Director of On-Premise Sales at Lauber, Southern Wine & Spirits. Mike McGill has been named President, Spirits Division at W. J. Deutsch & Sons. He had been Senior Vice President/General Manager, Southwest at Diageo. Fred Gambke has been named Chief Operating Offi cer at United States Beverage. He had been National Account Manager at United States Beverage. Damien Correia has been named State Manager (NJ/PA/CT/DE) at Russian Standard Vodka USA. He had been District Manager (NJ/DE/PA) at Rodney Strong Wine Estates. Je≠ rey Koch has been named North Florida Market Manager at Russian Standard Vodka USA. He had been Sales Rep for Fine Wine & Spirits at RNDC. A s the the beverage industry’s largest career network, BevForce knows who’s coming and who’s going at the leading global beverage companies. BevForce is the only beverage industry staffi ng agency providing both an online job board and executive recruiting services. Visit www.bevforce.com to sign up for the Movers & Shakers newsletter or to report your job move or recent hire.