Southern Wine & Spirits of America name Kevin McCracken new senior VP, John Rooney as VP of On-Premise Wine, Spirits, Beer & Non-Alcoholic; both appointments effective May 5

Jennifer Nguyen

LAS VEGAS , May 14, 2014 (press release) – Larry Ruvo, Senior Managing Director of Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada (SWS-NV) — a division of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. (Southern), the nation’s leading wine and spirits distributor with operations in 35 states — announced today the appointments of Kevin McCracken as Senior Vice President, Spirits and John Rooney as Vice President, On-Premise Wine, Spirits, Beer & Non-Alcoholic.

McCracken will report to Ian Staller, Executive Vice President, General Manager of SWS-NV. Rooney will report to McCracken on spirits-related business as well as to Glenn Morrison, SWS-NV Senior Vice President, Wine, on wine-related business. Both appointments were effective May 5, 2014.

Commenting on McCracken’s promotion, Ruvo said, “In Kevin’s new role, he will manage and oversee all aspects of the Spirits Division, as well as the General Market. Kevin’s focus and attention to the market will propel the Spirits Division forward. When Kevin joined SWS-NV in December 2011 as the Senior Vice President, Beer and Non-Alcoholic, he quickly went to work developing a team to grow market share, and increase sales and revenue while minimizing costs. We are confident he will bring that same energy and initiative to his new position.”

Over the past two plus years, McCracken developed a Beer Education Team. This team successfully implemented a new approach to education and innovation in the beer business that included securing new supplier partnerships with national emerging brands as well as leading a focused effort on talent management. Under his leadership, the Beer and Non-Alcoholic division experienced year-over-year growth at a record-setting pace. Continuing our dedication and commitment to the success and record growth of the Beer and Non-Alcoholic business, the division demands a seasoned beer and non-alcoholic industry professional. SWS-NV will be filling this position in the very near term.

Noting Rooney’s accomplishments, Staller said, “John’s outstanding achievements in leading the Nevada On-Premise Divisions will be a significant boost to our market dominance. John will manage and lead the day-to-day Wine, Spirits, and Beer & Non-Alcoholic sales execution in the On-Premise channel for the Resort, Nightclub & General Market Divisions. His industry experience and extensive local-market knowledge will elevate our already-strong executive team and further strengthen Nevada’s On-Premise customer relationships.”

Rooney joined Southern’s California team in 1993 and worked his way up from Merchandiser, to Draft Technician and then to a Sales Representative before joining the Nevada team in 1997 as a Resort Sales Representative. His other SWS-NV roles included District Manager, Trade Development Manager and most recently Vice President, Spirits.

About Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.

Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. (Southern) is the nation’s largest wine and spirits distributor and broker with operations in 35 markets. Southern currently operates in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Kentucky, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. Southern also holds operating licenses and permits in Nebraska and Texas. On a national basis, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. employs more than 14,000 team members. Southern urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information about Southern and its responsible consumption program, see: http://www.southernwine.com.

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