Title: Regional Controller
Company: Breakthru Beverage
FEI Chapter involvement: Currently serve as the VP of Membership on the board. I have also hosted the chapter for a plant tour and wine tasting at Breakthru Beverage with Court of Master Sommeliers Andrew McNamara.
Work email: [email protected]
Tell us a little bit about your career, educational/professional background and how you got to where you are today.
I earned by Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Albion College in Michigan in 1981. After graduating, I lived in Spain for a year and upon returning to the U.S. I interviewed with McKesson Corporation and entered their Management Training Program. I trained for a year and then was offered a regional analyst role, which focused on acquisitions and divestitures.
In 1987, I was approached by investment bankers from New York and offered a Director of Financial Planning role for a management lead LBO of McKesson’s Wine and Spirits Company. The deal was completed in 1988 and formed Sunbelt Beverage based in Maryland, which merged with Charmer Industries in 1992 and then the Wirtz Corporation in 2015. Currently Breakthru Beverage is operating in 15 states and Canada with 7,000 associates and revenues of $7 billion.
Have you ever done anything out of the ordinary to apply for and/or get a job?
I once interviewed for a job on Friday and started on Monday. Everything I had was in my car.
What is one piece of information you wish someone had told you when you first started your finance career?
Value yourself and your coworkers.
What do you love most about working as a financial executive?
Being able to work directly with all functional areas of a company. I am a career learner and thrive by reinventing myself as finance and operations roles evolve. I am always humbled and impressed by the skills and knowledge of the hardworking associates that I work with.
What is your best networking tip?
Bring positive energy with you, and sincerely enjoy getting to know others both professionally and personally.
What is your best tip for how to stand out in the finance field?
Know and understand what you are talking about, then be able to teach and pass your knowledge and experiences onto others. Build strong teams by supporting and developing those around you.
What are some of your personal hobbies outside of finance?
I stay busy with golf, swimming, wine tastings, fishing, skiing and personal fitness. I am also involved in and support numerous charities such as the First Tee of Tampa Bay, USF Alumni Association, The Positive Coaching Alliance, Grace O’Malley’s Angel of Grace and the Rough Riders.