HEART Forward

What happens when a group of passionate employees comes together to tackle a challenge, strengthen culture, and create a lasting impact on the people around them? In this special HEART Forward panel episode, Laura Thieman, Chad Humpich, Tony Williams, and Chris Rodgers, the HEART Champions behind Southern Glazer's Kentucky's uncorked employee recognition initiative, share how employee fe...

What happens when the people around you become your greatest source of strength? Michael Pace, Sales Director for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares why Agility is the HEART Value that resonates most with him and how adaptability has shaped his leadership journey. He also reflects on the incredible support he received from the Southern Glazer's family during his recovery from e...

What does it take to lead through transformation while staying grounded in trust, integrity, and teamwork? Prasanna Dasari, Senior Director of Test Engineering, within our OneTech Team reflects on more than 20 years with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits and the lessons learned from helping drive innovation, enterprise transformation, and continuous improvement across the business. Drawing...

What does it take to build a career that spans decades, adapts through change, and leaves a legacy for the next generation? Kevin Patruznick, Director of Trade Development for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits in New Mexico, shares lessons from nearly three decades in the beverage alcohol industry. From embracing agility and navigating unexpected career turns to mentoring emerging leaders...

How do you find opportunity when everything around you is changing? Mandy Larch, Manager of Customer Account Services (CAS) at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares why embracing change with curiosity and staying open to new possibilities can create opportunities for growth in uncertain moments. She reflects on how the CAS team demonstrated exceptional teamwork, resilience, and adaptab...

What does it take to build trust that lasts a lifetime, yet can be lost in a moment? Carlos Ferrandiz, General Manager & Executive Vice President of the Coastal-Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares leadership lessons from more than 35 years in the beverage alcohol industry. Carlos reflects on why honesty is the foundation of great leadership...

What does it take to turn a great idea into lasting impact? Joanna Fonk, Senior Director of AI Adoption & Enablement at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares how a career built on transformation, innovation, and continuous learning has reinforced the value of Teamwork. From building communities that sparked new ways of working to helping scale ideas across the organization, Joanna...

What happens when every role, every teammate, and every contribution aligns behind one shared goal? In this episode, Travis Hackney, Chain Account Manager in Louisiana, reflects on more than 20 years with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, and shares how strong relationships, adaptability, and a commitment to service have shaped his career journey. From his early days in the beer division to hi...

What does it really mean to lead with honesty when the right decision isn't the easiest one? Michelle Mittelstaedt, VP Trade Development for the Coastal Pacific Division at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares how honesty has become one of the most meaningful values in her leadership journey. Drawing on nearly 30 years in the beverage alcohol industry across sales, supplier manag...

"What helps teams stay connected, resilient, and focused when everything around them is changing? Mark Malcolm, Director of Trade Development for Southern Glazer's Beverage Company in Massachusetts, shares lessons from more than 16 years in the beverage industry and his experience leading through acquisition, organizational change, and the creation of a new Commercial Operations team. Ma...

How can leaders embrace AI while keeping people at the center of innovation? Elena Zhang, AI & Automation Engineer at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares how curiosity, adaptability, and HEART Values have shaped her approach to leading change and driving innovation. From building AI agents and automated workflows to championing Copilot adoption, Elena explains why agility is abou...

What if the most important leadership skill today is the ability to adapt? Brennan Duke, Vice President of Customer Development and National Accounts eCommerce at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, shares how military service, digital transformation, and leading one of Southern Glazer's most strategic customer businesses have shaped his perspective on agility, teamwork, and leadership. Fro...

How can curiosity become your greatest leadership advantage? Kimberley Spence, Managing Director and Vice President of Supplier Development & Marketing at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares how a lifelong curiosity and willingness to challenge the status quo have shaped her transformational leadership journey. She explores the role of transparency, trust, and collaboration in bu...

What if your setback could become the foundation for your greatest success? Josh Gee, Vice President and General Sales Manager for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Transatlantic Division in South Carolina, reflects on the lessons that shaped his leadership journey, from embracing failure as a catalyst for growth to learning the value of resilience, trust, and self-awareness. He shares how...

Kimberly Craven, Director of Commercial Finance for the Coastal-Pacific Wine & Spirits Division across the Central Region for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, explores what it truly means to lead with HEART when the pressure is on. Kimberly shares how the HEART Values come to life through everyday leadership decisions. From navigating open roles and shifting priorities to raising the...

Bryan Adorjan, Portfolio Vice President for the American Liberty Division of Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, reflects on his leadership journey from frontline roles to leading commercial operations, sharing how authenticity, confidence, and teamwork shape the way he leads and serves others. He also shares how winning with HEART comes to life through collaboration, process-driven execution...

Victoria Lebesis, Director of Retail Sales for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits in Washington State, shares her experiences grounded in resilience, authenticity, and embracing change. From entering the industry during COVID to navigating rapid growth and constant reorganization, Victoria shares why leading with HEART isn’t a moment, it’s a lifestyle. She reflects on growth through pressur...

Christine Steffen, Vice President of Supply Chain Execution for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, shares how the HEART value of Agility has guided her through large-scale transformation, helping her teams not just adapt to change but own it. She also reflects on the power of gratitude as a leadership mindset, reminding us how a simple shift in perspective can ground us, strengthen teams,...

Blanca Loya‑Garcia, Director of Human Resources & Talent Management for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, brings courageous, values-based leadership to life through her experience and perspective. Drawing on more than 20 years in the beverage industry, Blanca shares why leading with HEART means building trust through honesty, respect, and transparency—especially during times of change...

John Smith, Sales Consultant for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits - Florida, shares his journey from hospitality to sales, and from the Midwest to Florida, highlights the power of agility, teamwork, and continuous growth. John reflects on a celebratory moment when his team came together to accomplish a shared goal in just five hours - a powerful example of what’s possible when a team unit...

Mindy Sinha, Director of Operational Effectiveness for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of Ohio, shares how teamwork and service shape strong, people‑first leadership. Inspired by her upbringing on a farm and her experience as a U.S. Army Captain, Mindy shares why Teamwork is the HEART Value that brings all others to life. She recounts a powerful moment when cross‑functional teams rallied...

Rachel Moorhead, Vice President of Wine & Spirits for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of Illinois, shares why leading with HEART begins and ends with investing in people, connection, and growth. She reflects on founding Cheers to Women in Illinois and how a small idea grew into a deeply meaningful community initiative supporting teammates, families, and community. Rachel’s story is a...

Ty Stringer, Customer Service Representative for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, reflects on the power of agility in navigating change. From early life transitions to supporting customer onboarding amid evolving systems and priorities, Ty shares how embracing uncertainty has shaped his resilience and confidence. He reflects on a major overhaul of customer service operations and how stay...

Becca Weaver, Human Resources Director for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits South‑Central Region, shares how Honesty has become the HEART Value that anchors her leadership. Becca reflects on how transparency, empathy, and intentional conversations build trust and create cultures where people can thrive. She shares the vision behind the HEART Values Playbook, a practical toolkit designed to hel...

Cory Williamson, Sales Leader for Coastal-Pacific Wine & Spirits across Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, shares his leadership journey from the U.S. Marines to hospitality and sales. Cory reflects on what leading with HEART truly means, how culture and accountability drive sustainable success, and why assuming positive intent has been a defining mindset in his leadership. A powerful reminder that t...