Tara Empson named as successor to Neil Empson, owner of Empson & Co., Empson USA
New York, NY, September 10, 2018 – Empson & Co., a leading exporter of fine Italian wines worldwide, today announced that after 45 years in the wine business, owner and shareholder Neil Empson will appoint Tara Empson to succeed him in his role at Empson USA, the U.S. subsidiary company of Empson & Co.
Tara who has been involved with the company since 2006, will now oversee the management and operations of Empson USA. Since 2014, Tara has managed the relationship with supplier clients, which are currently exported in 28 countries worldwide. As an owner and active board member of Empson & Co., Tara will continue to lead an impressive portfolio of brands including Fuligni, Conterno Fantino and Pietradolce. Tara Empson represents a new generation of company leadership who will maintain the Empson family legacy and ensure continuity for the business.
Speaking to this change, Tara Empson said, “Family, integrity, leadership, and authenticity are the four key strengths that have enabled the Empson Company to establish its standout positioning as a pioneer of Italian wine. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this company to new ventures while following my father’s legacy.”
When Tara started full time at the family company, she took on numerous managerial responsibilities including management of client trips to Italy, support for the wineries, and execution of sales and marketing initiatives for the Caribbean, New Zealand, Bermuda, and U.S. markets.
Tara’s desire is to take the business to a new level by improving partnerships between the U.S. and Italian teams to increase efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, Tara’s perspective as a member of the Millennial generation and her distinctly global outlook will help shape Empson’s future by honoring their familial client relationships while seeking new and exciting partnerships. In the long term, Tara’s mission is for Empson to export to all the markets worldwide, taking the company fully global. Neil Empson comments, “The route to market has changed so the challenge is far greater today than when we started Empson in 1972. The quality of our portfolio will continue to play a major role in achieving those goals.”
Founded in 1972 by Neil and Maria Empson, Empson & Co. was one of the early advocates for fine Italian wine in the U.S., discovering, introducing and building many of today’s leading Italian wine brands including Gaja, Conti Costanti and Marcarini, and helping to introduce new denominations of Italian wines to American wine drinkers. Armed with a philosophy of one family doing business with another, Empson & Co. established Empson USA in 1991 to keep up with the growing demand for their wines in the U.S.
Neil Empson comments, “Tara’s tenacity to lead is decisive and will play a key role in maintaining and growing Empson in a leadership role of excellence. I’m confident in Tara’s abilities and the team we have in place to support this change.”
Tara said, “I attribute the company’s success to my father, who is a true pioneer of Italian wine. He believed in Italy’s potential and made it his mission to show the world that Italy is the home of wine excellence.”
To continue to oversee operations from a global standpoint, Tara will work in concert with Phil Langford at Empson USA in Milan; Mike Conroy at Empson USA in Virginia; and Christopher Ellyn at Empson Canada.
About Empson & Co. | www.empson.com
Empson & Co. is a leading exporter of fine Italian wine worldwide. Founded in 1972, the company works with quality and distinctive family-owned estates who are deeply rooted in the excellence of Italian terroir. With Empson, customers have the advantage of working with a team of passionate experts who offer services in wine marketing, logistics, advertising and communications, liaising first-class Italian wineries with renowned international restaurants and wine retailers.
About Empson USA | www.empsonusa.com
As an importer of top quality, distinctive, family-owned estates, Empson USA provides service to wine and spirits brands from Italy, New Zealand and Chile. Wines from Italy include: Bellafonte, Bellini, Bongiovanni, Bortoluzzi, Boscarelli, Bucci, Ca Rome, Canella, Carpineta Fontalpino, Cignale, Conterno Fantino, Corte Giacobbe, Costanti, Costaripa, Einaudi, Fantini, Ferghettina, Franz Haas, Fuligni, Gaudio Bricco Mondalino, Hauner, IL Feuduccio, Jankara, Lagaria, Le Casematte, Lento, Marcarini, Marchesi Pancrazi, Matane, Mimosa, Molo 8, Monte Antico, Musita, Pietradolce, Reversanti, Rossini, Santadi, Shardana, Speri, Supremus, Tenute di Altavilla, Terrabianca, Toscolo, Vigneti del Vulture, Vigneti Zabu, Villa Matilde, Viziato. Wines from New Zealand include: Clearview Estate, Escarpment, Main Divide, Pegasus Bay and
