Financial and Sales Professionals join #1 Producer of High-Quality Sparkling Wine in the US
January 19th – (Healdsburg, CA) — Co-founders and Co-CEOs Bruce Lundquist and Rebecca Faust have appointed two seasoned professionals to the Rack & Riddle executive team, a strategic step in the growing path for the leading premium, custom sparkling wine producer in America. Kimberly Benson and Brett Vankoski have both joined the company.
Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Benson has focused her career in the wine and spirits category, gaining a deep understanding of both financial services and consumer packaged goods. “Kimberly brings a second-to-none wealth of experience, knowledge, and gravitas in strategic planning, capital management, acquisition analysis and financing, cost and inventory accounting,” said Lundquist and Faust.
Prior to joining Rack & Riddle, Benson held numerous senior finance and accounting leadership positions, including interim CFO and vice president finance at Crimson Wine Group, and vice president finance at Vintage Wine Estates. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics from the University of California Davis and holds an MBA in Wine Business from Sonoma State University.
Vice President Sales Brett Vankoski is an experienced business professional who began his career working in a global capacity in finance for institutions such as American Express and Fidelity Investments. He then moved on to work in the wine business, first in retail, and then as vice president and wine director for Latitude Beverage Company, creators of the brand 90+ Cellars. Vankoski earned an MBA in Wine Business from Sonoma State University, after completing his undergraduate work at Harvard University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Government.
“Adding Brett to our sales team is a fitting and natural step for Rack & Riddle as our business continues to grow and produce a broader portfolio of sparkling wines,” Lundquist and Faust commented. “His leadership, innovation, creativity, and connections in the alcoholic beverage world, match the forward and progressive direction of our company.”
About Rack & Riddle
Established in 2007 in Northern California by wine industry veterans Rebecca Faust and Bruce Lundquist, Rack & Riddle was founded with the mission to craft superior sparkling wines. Through years of steadfast dedication and thoughtful expansion, Rack & Riddle has become the #1 custom sparkling wine producer in the United States with 3.5 million cases of capacity. An exceptional winemaking team dedicated to the mastery of sparkling wine supported by state-of-the-art technology, delivers turnkey custom labels and wine services with tank sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000 gallons. Four modern wineries located in Healdsburg, Geyserville and Lodi specialize in Méthode Champenoise and Charmat, producing the best of all things sparkling. The company prides itself on being an upstanding member of the communities in which it operates and is committed to operating fairly, ethically, and sustainably.
For more visit RackAndRiddle.com. Follow Rack & Riddle on LinkedIn, Instagram @RackNRiddle and Facebook.
