Market Watch, April 2018

mwON THE MOVE102 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM APRIL 2018Amidst a realignment of its portfolio Prox imo Spirits has named Alex Tomlin as general manager of its newly formed Signa ture Brands unit Tomlin comes to Proximo following a 23 year tenure at Diageo where he held a series of marketing and innovation leadership positions across the Asia Pacific Latin America and North America regions Most recently he served as senior vice president of marketing for Reserve Scotch Whisky brands at Diageo North America In his new role Tomlin will guide the Signature Brands division in its mission to develop nurture and accelerate new brands including Maestro Dobel Tequila Tincup whiskey and Hangar 1 vodka among others Brown Formans Woodford Reserve has promoted master taster Elizabeth McCall to assistant master distiller With the promotion McCall whos been a member of Brown Formans research and development department since 2009 becomes one of the youngest female distillers in the U S In her new role she will work with master distiller Chris Morris to innovate on new expressions for the Woodford Reserve portfolio 375 Park Avenue Spirits a division of Sazerac Co has reorganized its sales force to better align business with its distribution partners Western division manager Jake Mutscheller will add the new title of general manager overseeing 375 Park Avenues business with Southern Glazers Wine Spirits across 15 states Central division manager Sam Scheibal will fill the same general manager role for 375 Park Avenues business with Republic National Distilling Co Breakthru Beverage across 16 states Meanwhile mid Atlantic division manager Lauren Martin Ward has been named control states director a new position created to manage the Maryland Washing ton D C and Delaware markets as well as all 17 control states New Zealands Villa Maria imported into the U S by Ste Michelle Wine Estates has named Abe Salt as CEO replacing founder Sir George Fistonich who will continue as president of the company and retain a hands on role Salt previously spent five years at Treasury Wine Estates as global head of strategy and was most recently principal at Iron Gate Consult ing providing strategic counsel to the wine industry Diageo has tapped Nicole Austin as the general manager and distiller of the newly formed Cascade Hollow Distilling Co formerly George Dickel Distillery Austin previously served as project commissioning engineer for William Grant Sons at the Tullamore Distill ery in Ireland Additionally she was a founding board member of the American Craft Spirits Association and co chair of its legislative convention and state guild committees In her new role at the distillery Austin will establish the direc tion of the company and spearhead commercial strategies Pernod Ricard has tapped Melissa Hanes worth as vice president of manufacturing for its North America division Concur rently Pernod has tapped her as the vice president of production at its Canadian marketing and distributing affiliate Corby Spirit and Wine An employee of the company for 16 years Hanesworth most recently served as managing director of operations at Pernod Ricard USAs produc tion facility in Arkansas which manages such brands as Malibu rum and Kahlúa liqueur In her new roles shell continue to oversee the Arkansas production facility while simultaneously managing the Hiram Walker Sons distillery in Ontario Canada Hanesworth succeeds Jim Stanski in both roles Gem Bolt mezcal has named John Karem as CEO With 20 years of industry experience Karem was previously vice president of sales for the West at Stoli Group USA Gem Bolt which is pres ent in the Texas California New York New Jersey Colorado and London markets named industry veteran John Esposito to its board last fall mw Julia HigginsJake MutschellerNicole AustinElizabeth McCallAbe SaltMW0418_