Drinks Americas Execs & Board Members
Management Team
J. Patrick Kenny, President and Chief Executive Officer
With a 22-year track record of success in creating and managing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage businesses, Mr. J. Patrick Kenny developed his industry expertise in a variety of management positions at the world's leading beverage companies, including Joseph E. Seagram and Sons and The Coca-Cola Company.
As a former Senior Vice President and General Manager at Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Mr. Kenny was instrumental in the development and launch of Seagram's wine, wine cooler and non-alcoholic businesses. Mr. Kenny turned the Seagram's Worldwide Carbonated Soft Drink Company from an unprofitable and limited east coast business into a profitable, top ten carbonated beverage global enterprise, which was ultimately sold to The Coca-Cola Company. Mr. Kenny left Seagram's prior to its sale to Vivendi Universal in 2000 and founded Sweet 16 Intermedia, Inc., a trademark licensing and media company, which he sold to TEENTV Inc.
As a leading expert in beverage sales and marketing, Mr. Kenny has also acted as advisor to several Fortune 500 beverage marketing companies, and has participated in several beverage industry transactions. Mr. Kenny has often been a guest speaker at numerous beverage industry forums as a recognized expert in Iconic-Branding. Mr. Kenny is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., attended West Point USMA and received his master's degree from St. John's University. He resides in Ridgefield, Connecticut with his wife and five children.
Bruce K. Klein, Chairman of the Board
Bruce K. Klein currently serves as Managing Partner of Victory Partners Inc., the company created to fund privately developing businesses in their early stages. Victory Partners currently funds businesses in technology, vitamins and Internet services. Under his leadership, three of Victory Partners funded companies have gone public in the last five years. Mr. Klein's 23 years of professional experience spans a variety of industries.
Jason Lazo, Chief Operating Officer
Jason Lazo has 15 years of experience in corporate finance, logistics and procurement. He has held leadership positions at Seagram, Kraft Foods, and Entenmann's Bakeries. Mr. Lazo also managed a start-up facility as the Plant Controller for nationally recognized brands, Capri Sun and Lender's Bagels. Mr. Lazo's last position prior to joining Drinks Americas was as a Financial Manager at the Seagram Beverage Company.
Jeffrey Daub, Chief Financial Officer
Jeffrey Daub has served as the Company's controller since November 2006. Mr. Daub has over 14 years of experience in accounting and finance. Prior to joining Drinks Americas, he was a senior audit manager at Rosen Seymour Shapss Martin & Company LLP, a public accounting firm located in New York City. Mr. Daub is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Business Valuator. He earned his M.S. degree in Accounting from Long Island University of Long Island, NY and his B.S. in Applied Math and Statistics from Stony Brook University of Long Island, NY.
Board of Directors
Joining Mr. Kenny and Mr. Klein on the Board:
Marvin Traub
Mr. Traub, former CEO and Chairman of Bloomingdales, now serves as President of his marketing and consulting firm, Marvin Traub Associates, ("MTA"). There he both works with clients and supervises an extraordinary team of professionals with great expertise in global retailing, marketing and consumer goods products. MTA's fourteen consultants include the former chairmen and principals of such distinguished companies as Neiman Marcus, Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan Mens, Dior, Robinson May, Laura Ashley and Montgomery Ward. The firm offers consulting and management skills as well as access to other services such as mergers & acquisitions, private equity, restructuring and venture capital, through its relationships with various financial institutions such as Compass Advisors, Mayfair Group and Financo. MTA started in 1994 and today has 30 clients in 12 countries including American Express, Ralph Lauren, AOL Time Warner, Nautica Europe, Lanvin-France, Coin-Italy, and Quartier 206-Berlin.
Thomas Schwalm
Mr. Schwalm is a 25 year veteran of the beverage industry. From 1995-2001, he was a managing member and co-founder of the South Beach Beverage Company, known as SoBe Beverage, which was acquired by PepsiCo, Inc. in 2001. Mr. Schwalm's career includes key positions with the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company from 1968-1982 and as Group Marketing Director for the Stroh Brewing Company from 1982-1984, where he managed $100 million in marketing spending and introduced Stroh nationally in 1983. From 1985-1992 he was VP of Sales and Marketing for Dribeck Importers, the U.S. importer for Becks Beer. In 1992 Mr. Schwalm became President of Barton Beers in Chicago. He is currently CEO/President of the Thousand Islands Country Club, an exclusive golfing resort and The Preserve, a luxury residential development, both located in upstate NY.
Frederick Schulman
Mr. Schulman has 25 years experience in corporate and commercial finance, venture capital, leveraged buy outs, investment banking and corporate and commercial law. Mr. Schulman's career includes key positions with RAS Securities in New York from 1994-1998 as General Counsel and Investment Banker, eventually becoming Executive Vice President and Director of Investment Banking. From 1999-2001 he was President of Morgan Kent Group, Inc., a venture capital firm based in New York and Austin, Texas. Currently, Mr. Schulman serves as Chairman and President of Gourmet Group, a publicly traded company, Chairman of Skyline Multimedia Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company, and President and Director of East Coast Venture Capital, Inc., a specialized small business investment company and community development entity based in New York.
Hubert Millet
Mr. Millet is an international consultant and an adviser to the French government on foreign trade. Mr. Millet was President of Seagram's Global Brands Division based in Paris. He also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Seagram's Mumm Martell Group. During this time, he was Chairman of Barton & Guestier SA and Herve Leger, and board member of Martell Cognac, G.H. Mumm, Perrier-Jouet and Tropicana Europe. Mr. Millet was also President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cointreau Group. He is currently a board member of Hermes USA. A graduate of the University of Paris, he received four major French decorations, including Officer of National Order of Merit and Officer of the Legion of Honor. Mr. Millet resides in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
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