Sonoma, California — August 24, 2017 — Don Sebastiani & Sons, the Sonoma-based, family-owned producer of award-winning wine, spirits, and food products, today announces the promotions of five members of its leadership team.
Andrew Meyer was named Global Vice President, Wine & Spirits, Sales, responsible for worldwide sales of the company’s Wine & Spirits portfolio. In this role, Meyer will continue to report to Donny Sebastiani and will oversee all domestic and export sales efforts and teams. Andrew Meyer joined Don Sebastiani & Sons in 2009 and has held positions of VP, Customer and Channel Management; VP of Export and Emerging Markets; and most recently VP of the West Region.
Steve Pearce was promoted to Regional Wine & Spirits Manager West Division, Sales, reporting to Andrew Meyer. Pearce, who joined the company in 2011, previously served as Merchandising Manager in Southern California; District Wine Manager in Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona; and most recently as Regional State Manager West with oversight of 15 West Division states.
John Nicolette has been appointed as Vice President, Operations, reporting to Tom Hawkins; he formerly served as Director of Operations and joined the company in 2005. During his tenure at Don Sebastiani & Sons, Nicolette successfully led the company’s efforts to drive quality improvements, boost efficiencies and effectively manage packaging and overhead costs. More recently, he has led contract production services for the company’s non-wine food and beverage businesses.
Marie Brown was named Distribution & Export Logistics Manager, reporting to John Nicolette. She joined the company in 2006 as Distribution Coordinator in the Don & Sons American Canyon Distribution Facility, and later was instrumental in the transition and integration to contract distribution services in 2010. In her new role, Brown has daily oversight responsibility for distribution of both domestic and export wine and spirits orders and local non-wine product orders.
Greg Kitchens was named Director of Winemaking overseeing production of Don Sebastiani & Sons’ twelve core wine brands. Kitchens has been with Don Sebastiani & Sons since 2003 and in his new role he will also lead the company’s wine supply chain management efforts, inclusive of both domestic and international grape sourcing and vineyard contracting for both premium and luxury wines across multiple appellations. He will continue to report to Tom Hawkins.
“These promotions signal Don Sebastiani & Sons’ commitment to providing ‘Five Star Customer Service’ to both our external customers and partners as well as our internal customers and team associates,” said Donny Sebastiani, President and CEO of Don Sebastiani & Sons. “By seeking out and developing the best talent in the industry, and by promoting from within, we are strengthening our leadership team and ensuring that we continue to grow well into the future.”
About Don Sebastiani & Sons:
Don Sebastiani & Sons is a family-owned company rooted in the Sonoma Valley, with a winery in the Napa Valley. Since 1904, the family’s adventures have often included making and marketing products complementary to wine, and today, products range from wine to water and tequila, to pistachios, almonds, and cashews, all sourced from premier growing regions throughout the world–natural, healthy beverages and foods to complement life’s special occasions and celebrations with family and friends. The company was recently named one of the Best Places to Work by the North Bay Business Journal for the fifth consecutive year.
Today, fourth-generation proprietor Donny Sebastiani is expanding his family’s vision to include other aspects of the “Mediterranean Diet” to create a “Happy Hour At Home”, with such products as:
- A premium portfolio of California wines.
- Small-lot, single-vineyard wines from Sonoma. Including Chardonnay grown on Donny Sebastiani’s home ranch.
- Tasty, flavor-bombed almonds, pistachios and cashews called U Gottabee Nutz.
- Organic flavored sparkling water: AquaJava, AquaKola and AquaMocha.
- Craft 100% Blue Weber agave Tequilas grown and hand-made in Jalisco, Mexico: Contigo Plata, El Fumador Reposado, and El Macho Añejo.
For more information about the company, visit http://donsebastianiandsons.com.
