Merchant du Vin is Increasing Expert Staff for Increasing Beer

Merchant du Vin, Specialty Beer Importers Since 1978, Announces Management Changes.
May 18, 2015: In response to continued success and sales growth, Rich Hamilton, President, recently announced
the following key management changes:
Kyle Skinner has been hired as Controller, taking over from Tanya Yelkin, who will begin a
long happy retirement in July, after 24 years at Merchant du Vin. Kyle, CPA and MPAcc,
served as Senior Auditor with Merchant du Vin’s accounting firm
Bader Martin PS before joining us, bringing broad knowledge of
accounting and information systems.
John Staunton has been promoted to Eastern US Sales Manager. In
this capacity, John will be responsible for overall sales activity in the
eastern 22 states and Washington DC, working closely with our current
sales staff. John began working for Merchant du Vin as a Regional
Manager ten years ago, after serving as sales manager for large regional
Kyle brewer Great Lakes Brewing Company.
Jim Blockinger has been promoted to Western US Sales Manager. Jim will be responsible for
John
overall sales activity in the western 28 states, working closely with our current sales staff. Jim
started as an MdV Regional Manager in 2011, after selling many cases and kegs of Merchant
du Vin’s beer at our wholesale partner Louis Glunz, Inc.
Ryan Maher has been hired to fill a newly-created role of General
Manager, operating out of Merchant du Vin’s Seattle headquarters. In
this capacity, his responsibilities will include overall day-to-day
operations, with a focus on sales. Ryan entered the beer business as an
intern at Brooklyn Brewery, and was the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Manager for Merchant du Vin from 1997 to 2003. After that, Ryan’s
career led him to national account sales for benchmark family-owned
spirits companies: Ketel One, William Grant & Sons, and Tito’s
Jim Handmade Vodka.
Joe Lipa, longtime Merchant du Vin National Sales Manager, has decided that effective
Ryan
August 1, he will step back into a role that will allow him to spend more time at home and to
make an attempt at pursuing a few leisure activities. Joe has been a part of the Merchant du Vin success story for
more than 30 years. We will continue to benefit from his unparalleled passion and determination in his new role
as mentor and beer sage. He will also be responsible for a sales
territory in western Massachusetts and upper New York state. Joe
says, “The true visionaries in 1978 were Charles & Rose Ann Finkel,
founders of Merchant du Vin, and Moe & Elise England, founders of
Merchant du Vin East. I joined MdV in 1985 after being one of their
first distributors, beginning my magical mystery tour selling the finest
beer portfolio in the USA. Working alongside the most passionate
and dedicated sales and support staff in the business is why Merchant
du Vin is so successful. Longtime MdV President Rich Hamilton gave
me the autonomy to help build a remarkable company. My baton is
now passed to our new senior sales staff and MdV will be even
stronger. Merchant du Vin is not a job - it is a lifestyle.”
Joe
Merchant du Vin imports Samuel Smith’s from England; Traquair House from Scotland; Ayinger and Certified
Organic Pinkus beers from Germany; Lindemans lambics, Green’s Gluten-Free, Du Bocq, and the Trappist beers of
Orval, Westmalle, and Rochefort from Belgium.
merchantduvin.com
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Contact: Craig Hartinger - craigh@mdvbeer.com (253) 656-0321 - 119 First Ave. S., Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98104