Beverages
10 beverage distribution (three-tier system) experts
These ten professionals have managed the relationship between beer, wine and spirits suppliers and their distributors and wholesalers, some from the supplier side and some from the distributor side. A reader can learn from them how brands work with distributors, how distributors weigh supplier portfolios and how route-to-market decisions get made.
Professionals to explore
01—10Alexander Ramos
LinkedInExperience: RNDC Vice President Business Development Supplier Excellence · Republic National Distributing Company
Former RNDC Vice President Business Development Supplier Excellence at Republic National Distributing Company (2021–2024), where his profile says he onboarded category-leading suppliers and delivered year-over-year growth by driving top-line revenue and achieving gross profit and depletion goals. At Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits he was Regional Vice President National and Strategic Accounts (2019–2021) and Regional Vice President Hotels, Resorts, and Casino Division (2014–2019).
Andy Iredale
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Supplier Performance (pre-SGWS merger) · Glazer's Distributors
Former Vice President of Supplier Performance (pre-SGWS merger) at Glazer's Distributors (2013–2016). At Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits he was Vice President of Trade Development - Central Region (2017–2020), Vice President of Trade Development - Texas (2021–2024) and Vice President of Commercial Operations - Central Region (2024–2025). His profile says that at Southern Glazer's he provided leadership for the Diageo and LVMH Moët Hennessy USA business and managed supplier relationships, including planning, funding and annual strategy.
Daniel Dahlstrom
LinkedInExperience: Director of Wholesaler Equity Agreements CA, HI, AZ and NV · Anheuser-Busch
Director of Wholesaler Equity Agreements CA, HI, AZ and NV at Anheuser-Busch since October 2015; his profile says that in this role he managed the company's distribution centers in California, Hawaii, Nevada and Arizona. His other Anheuser-Busch roles include Senior Director of Operations New York and New Jersey (2014–2015), Director of Operations Seattle, WA (2012–2014) and Operations Manager San Diego, CA (2010–2012).
Francesco Cioni
LinkedInExperience: Distributor Strategy, Senior Manager · Constellation Brands
Distributor Strategy, Senior Manager at Constellation Brands since October 2021. At Lavazza Group he was Global Route to Market Manager (2016–2017), Regional Sales Manager - Iberia (2017–2019) and Regional Sales Manager - Central Europe (2019–2021). His profile cites 15+ years in route-to-market design, distributor management, sales strategy and portfolio development across the beverage, food and consumer goods industries.
Glendal Vandenbempt
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Business and Wholesaler Development, USA · AB InBev
Vice President, Business and Wholesaler Development, USA at AB InBev since August 2025; the profile describes the role as leading wholesaler operations, digital strategy and transformation for the US business unit. Other AB InBev roles on the profile include Vice President, Digital Sales & Operations, USA (2019–2025), Sales Director On Trade Belgium (2016–2019) and Director Sales Operations, RTM and Expansion, Europe (2016).
Jeffrey Engelhardt CSS
LinkedInExperience: Distributor Manager · Excelsior Wines
Former Distributor Manager at Excelsior Wines (2015–2018). He was also Southeast Central US Regional Manager - Lucas Bols USA (2021–2024), California Hawaii State Manager at Bronco Wine Co. (2019–2021) and Region Manager, Southern California at Bacardi (2013–2015). His profile cites 20+ years building and managing wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverage brands across multiple states and channels through wholesaler networks.
John Glazewski
LinkedInExperience: Director Distributor Partnerships, Southern Glazer s Wine & Spirits · Pernod Ricard
Director Distributor Partnerships, Southern Glazer s Wine & Spirits at Pernod Ricard since October 2021. His other Pernod Ricard roles include Director Sales Planning & Operations, Continental Division Performance Strategy & Execution (2017–2021), Sales Performance Manager Product & Brand Management Business Execution (2014–2017) and Florida Regional Manager Strategic Planning Mentoring & Development (2010–2014). His headline lists channel maximization, enterprise strategy and business transformation.
Mark Lautzenheiser
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Distributor Manager · Diageo
Former Sr. Distributor Manager at Diageo (2011–2012), where he was also Decision Support Manager (Director) - Global Whiskies (2012–2015). He was Regional Manager at Pernod Ricard (2017–2021) and has been Portfolio Director at Republic National Distributing Company since April 2021. His profile cites 15+ years in the wine and spirits industry and a proven ability to build distributor relationships and develop regions.
Mike Friedle
LinkedInExperience: Regional Sales Manager East Coast Director, 10 States · Great Lakes Brewing Company
Former Regional Sales Manager East Coast Director, 10 States at Great Lakes Brewing Company (2018–2025). His profile says he built and ran a 10-state East Coast sales operation with 29 DSD wholesale and distributor partners and eight direct reports, launching four markets from scratch. He was also Area Sales Manager NY & Western PA at Great Lakes Brewing Company (2015–2018) and District Manager at The Boston Beer Company (2025–2026).
Sean Duce
LinkedInExperience: Director, Distributor Development · Constellation Brands
Former Director, Distributor Development at Constellation Brands (2016–2019), a role his profile says was responsible for ongoing distributor alignment with the Constellation Brands Beer Division, including overall management of the distributor transition and change process. He has been Director, National Accounts at Constellation Brands since August 2019, and was Key Account Manager (2014–2016) and Market Development Manager (2010–2014) there.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person to the tier you need to understand: someone on the supplier side can explain how brands set goals and funding for wholesalers, while someone at a distributor can explain how portfolios and supplier programs are judged. Also match beer versus wine and spirits, since their distributor networks often work differently.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do you choose a distributor in a new state, and which terms matter most in the distribution agreement?
- 02How should a supplier set goals, funding and incentives so a distributor's sales team prioritizes its brands?
- 03What do distributors look at when deciding whether to take on or drop a supplier's portfolio?
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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