Grand Prairie, Texas, October 26, 2020 – Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), a world-class distributor of fine wines and spirits in North America, today announced that partner Alan Dreeben has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Wine Enthusiast.
This year marks the 21st anniversary of Wine Enthusiast’s Annual Wine Star Awards, honoring the individuals and companies that make outstanding contributions to the wine and alcohol beverage world. The winners, plus special awards for Lifetime Achievement Award and American Wine Legend, will be announced in the magazine’s Best of Year issue. In a challenging year for all industries, they are saluting the dedicated beverage professionals who have innovated and flourished.
“I am honored and humbled to be receiving this award,” Dreeben said. “It is a culmination of my dedication to an industry I have been blessed to be a part of.”
Dreeben has accumulated nearly 50 years of industry experience and has been a vital part of RNDC’s growth trajectory for nearly two decades. He served as vice chairman and director of Block Distributing and continued in this role after the merger with Republic – culminating in his current position as a partner of RNDC.
“Alan has played a significant role in the success of RNDC,” President and CEO Tom Cole said. “He is deserving of this award and I’m pleased the industry is recognizing his contributions throughout the years.”
Dreeben began his career path in 1966, working for the Gallo Winery. He was part of a pioneering leadership training program and reported directly to Ernest Gallo, the company’s founder. He returned to San Antonio, where he assumed leadership of Block’s wine program and spearheaded its growth. Dreeben is responsible for bringing the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certification to the United States.
Currently, Dreeben is a member of the Wine Market Council’s executive committee – of which he is a past chairman – and the Wine Advisory Committee of the Texas Department of Agriculture. He also served as chairman of the board for Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America.
Dreeben is passionate about education and has served on several boards, including serving as chair for Alamo Heights ISD and Texas State University System. He also donated the Dreeben School of Education to University of the Incarnate Word. Additionally, Dreeben served on the development board, was past chair of the Business School Council and donated two Forty Acre Scholarships to the University of Texas.
Deeply committed to his community, Dreeben is a member at large and sits on the executive committee of the United Way and has previously contributed to a long list of civic organizations including the American Cancer Society, Any Baby Can, the Hospice of San Antonio, Los Compadres, the Golden Manor Home of Aged, and several others. He has also served as Division Chairman of the Jewish Social Service Federation and the Director of Education for Temple Beth-El.
The RNDC family extends our congratulations to Alan Dreeben for receiving this award.
About Republic National Distributing Company
RNDC, a world-class distributor of fine wines and spirits in North America, has operations in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Young’s Market Company, a partner of RNDC, distributes wines, spirits, and select beverages in the western United States including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Visit www.rndc-usa.com, www.youngsmarket.com, or contact Reace Smith, Vice President, Corporate Communications at reace.smith@rndc-usa.com.
