Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits today announced several changes in its East Region executive team, effective immediately.
Walter Cowell, most recently the Vice President of Commercial Operations for Florida, has been promoted to Executive Vice President and General Manager of Mid-Atlantic, responsible for the Maryland, Washington DC, and Delaware markets.
In this new role, Cowell will report to Gene Sullivan, President, East Region, and will relocate to the Washington DC area. Reporting to Cowell will be Jim Miller, General Manager of Delaware, and Andy Gergel, General Manager of Maryland and Washington DC.
Cowell has been with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits for 16 years, holding multiple roles of increasing responsibility in the Company including Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and dedicated division Vice President and General Manager. Prior to joining the Company, Cowell held various sales and management roles with Shieffelin & Somerset Co. and Empire Distributors, Inc.
“Walter has been an outstanding contributor to the Florida market during his tenure with the Company,” says Gene Sullivan. “His nearly 30 years of industry experience, coupled with his proven ability to drive business performance and value for our customers and suppliers, positions him for continued success as he takes on this new leadership role in the Mid-Atlantic.”
Promoted to Cowell’s former role of Vice President of Commercial Operations for Florida is Greg Astle, most recently the Vice President of Trade Development for Southern Glazer’s Transatlantic division.
In this new role, Astle will direct day-to-day sales and operations for Florida, reporting to Patrick Cassidy, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Florida. Astle has been with Southern Glazer’s for eight years. Prior to his position in the Transatlantic division, he was Vice President of Trade Marketing for the Coastal Wine & Spirits division of Florida. Before joining Southern Glazer’s, Astle held roles of increasing responsibility with Diageo North America and E&J Gallo Winery.
“We are thrilled to have Greg move into this critical leadership role in Florida,” says Patrick Cassidy. “Greg is a performance-driven team leader who knows this market inside and out, and I’m confident his leadership will help us continue to enhance executional excellence for our supplier partners and customers throughout the state.”
In addition, Mark Chaplin has been promoted to Director of Sales and Commercial Operations for the East Region.
In this role, Chaplin will report to David Stuart, Senior Vice President, Sales and Commercial Operations – East Region. In his new position, he will be responsible for managing commercial sales deliverables and serving as a key point of contact for strategic supplier interaction and performance within the Region.
Most recently, Chaplin worked in the East Region Commercial Strategy group, where he contributed to various key strategic initiatives such as route-to-market restructuring and commercial operations designs. Chaplin joined Southern Glazer’s in 2018. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Miami, School of Business, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration, also from the University of Miami. His prior work experience also includes positions with Gallo Sales Company, Merrill Lynch, Grant Thornton, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.
“Mark has been an excellent addition to the East Region team,” adds Sullivan. “We look forward to having him help continue to enhance East Region performance for all of our valued suppliers.”
