Associate Spotlights

Andrew Ickes, Purchasing Coordinator, is responsible for procuring product from some of our largest suppliers. His attention to detail and persistence have allowed Superior Beverage Group to navigate the slippery slope of inventory management and ever-changing trends in 2020, while still maximizing the buying opportunities as they are presented.

Andrew’s experience and incessant hard work were instrumental in one of the most successful product launches in Superior Beverage Group history, Truly Tea. His quick actions and clear and frequent communication with Boston Beer and our Sales Team allowed for an impactful and fast start for this new, innovative brand. Andrew also spent extra time at night and on the weekends in December to ensure a smooth Great Lakes Christmas Ale season. He is a true team player and his actions positively affect not only the Purchasing and Brand Teams but the entire organization.

Congratulations Andrew Ickes.

Kevin Holland, a Columbus Large Format Account Manager, and model of consistent execution throughout his 20+ year tenure plans his work and works his plan until he achieves his goals. In December, his hard work drove excellent results, and received high praise from Kroger executives for his shelf and display execution during holiday visits from their corporate office.

Kevin quickly adapted to the 2020 go-to-market changes and responsibilities on his route. He was instrumental in assisting his team through those changes.  He leads by example and worked with new Account Managers to take over stores he had called on for over a decade. He continues to provide advice and guidance to those new Account Managers when questions or opportunities present themselves.

Congratulations Kevin Holland.

Benji Lacy, an over-the-road (OTR) driver, is committed to excellence every day.  His actions have a positive effect on his department and the organization.  He is always willing to lend a hand where needed and his great attitude and work ethic are evident every day.

The Trenton MolsonCoors brewery provides visibility online for loads and trailers, but mistakes and problems must be verified onsite.  When Benji makes pickups, he physically checks the yard and uses his relationships to communicate and fix problems regularly.

Benji also trains all new OTR drivers through the entire process from pre-trip and post-trip inspections to the BigRoad electronic log application.  He even takes them on the road to determine readiness.  Benji starts his day at 6 a.m., a very busy time in the warehouse, as many delivery drivers are starting their routes.  Benji jumps in to help move equipment as needed, even when it delays his start.

Congratulations Benji Lacy. 

Chuck Hardy, a delivery driver in the Akron market, services many of our largest retailers. His positive attitude and strive to deliver consistent, quality service has enabled him to build strong relationships and trust with his customers. He begins every day with the intention of being the distributor of choice. Chuck is an excellent trainer in our new driver program, making the extra effort to not only train on their individual jobs but also the effect their performance can have on the rest of the organization. He has been described by a supervisor as “engaged in what we are trying to accomplish as a team and as an organization.”

Chuck goes out of his way to show kindness to others by helping another driver in need, restocking supplies in the driver’s room, and bringing his smile and energy to those around him. 

Congratulations Chuck Hardy.

The President’s Choice Award winner for August goes above and beyond on a daily basis and drives his business by selling the entire portfolio.

Chris Raymont, as an Account Manager in the Dedicated Wine Division and a seasoned sales veteran, built and maintained strong relationships with his customers and is viewed as a true beverage consultant. Hard work and dedication along with daily pre-planning and proper use of the tools available to him have allowed Chris to maximize the opportunities available at retail. Chris is one of our few associates that have passed the very challenging CSW exam and he also participates in our Management Readiness Program. He has recently accepted the position of Fine Wine Key Account Manager.

Congratulations Chris!

The President’s Choice Award winner for August embraces the tenets of our Vision Statement daily.

Mike Bates, as a Columbus Merchandiser, eagerly and gracefully adapted to the changes required in this position. Recently Mike has been covering sales routes and has handled the transition from a Chain/Grocery route, back to merchandising and then on to a General Market route with the ease of a skilled Account Manager. He has a passion for success, learns from his mistakes and strives to be better every day. Mike has recently been promoted to an Account Manager in the Large Format Region.

He builds great relationships in the market and with the drivers that also service his accounts. Mike’s goal is to always do the best thing for the company and for his customers and he has exceeded those expectations.

Congratulations Mike!

The President’s Choice Award winner for July demonstrates a commitment and passion that is second to none.

Lori Schafer, a Dedicated Wine Account Manager in the Youngstown market, strives for accuracy and insists on excellence. She is meticulous on merchandising standards, correct pricing and proper shelf adjacencies. She recently had a creative Barefoot display featured on the Gallo Gateway website! Lori has built solid trusting relationships with her customers and always strives to not just meet customer expectations but to exceed them.

Lori’s great work ethic, positive attitude, and knowledge and passion for the industry are all keys to the successful results she had in July.

Congratulations Lori!

The President’s Choice Award winner for July works hard and has a positive effect on those around him.

Grant Hostutler, a material handler on the mid-shift, has made accuracy and efficiency a personal goal.

In July, Grant:

Increased his cases per hour over July 2019 by 26.6%
Had one week in July with ZERO mispicks
Had only four mispicks the entire month

Picking speed and accuracy are just a few of the ways Grant positively impacts the warehouse team. He also trains new associates as they are onboarded, takes the time to work cleanly by pulling plastic and stacking pallets and provides feedback and ideas to management. Grant’s actions have a positive effect on the productivity of the entire warehouse team.

Congratulations Grant!

The President’s Choice Award winner for June is calm under pressure and embraces new challenges.

Tiffany Mangat, a reset coordinator, is responsible for the schedule and reset packets for every chain set that we captain. She updates each planogram with any changes, keeping the sets up to date. Her organization and planning allow the reset team to be prepared, accurate and effective.

June was Tiffany’s first opportunity to draw planograms for some of our largest customers. She quickly got up to speed on how the buyers wanted to see the sets completed and hit every deadline and produced a finished product that gained the customers' trust and respect. 

Congratulations Tiffany!

The President’s Choice Award winner for June has set the standard for what makes a “Superior” driver.

Matt Gillam, a delivery driver out of the Columbiana drop lot, leads by example and strives to improve every day. He consistently practices the 10 basic steps necessary to be a Superior driver and his actions have set him apart from our competition. He has exceptional communication with management and customer service and has built great relationships with our customers. A customer that he services called to say that Matt was the nicest to work with and had the best attitude of all the drivers he deals with and he appreciates the extra effort he gives.

Congratulations Matt!

The President’s Choice Award winner for May can be called upon to get the job done.

Joe Carr, a Universal East Account Manager who services the southernmost part of our territory is a consummate professional. He has a passion for the industry and a thirst for knowledge, asking questions, and often researching products on his own. Joe has built relationships in the market and with his team based on trust and effective communication and has proven to be a true Beverage Consultant. Joe is calm under pressure, has a positive attitude, and a drive to succeed, all of which are reflected in his May results. 

Congratulations Joe!

The President’s Choice Award winner for May is a great example of an associate that is dedicated to enhancing the business of our customers and suppliers.

Nick Walsh, an Account Manager in our southeast territory, has an extremely diverse market with the majority of his business revolving around the Athens area and Ohio University. After losing half of his accounts due to the on-premise closure, Nick shifted his focus to customers that could drive his business. He spent his time merchandising and looking for placement opportunities in his top accounts. 

In May, Nick wasn’t just focused on his own business, he regularly helped his manager by picking up stops and offering account detail information and suggestions. His hard work and team-first attitude helped to keep the positive momentum moving forward.

Congratulations Nick!

The President’s Choice Award winner for April is continually committed to getting the job done and getting it done correctly.

Scott Hall, an Accounting associate in Columbus, is a veteran of the beer industry and has a wealth of knowledge. He handles a critical element of our business in real time and can be relied upon to provide timely and accurate information. His knowledge proved to be incredibly valuable in the month of April.

Scott was instrumental in organizing the processes and procedures necessary to ensure we properly accounted for our keg inventory that went out of date during the on premise closures. Scott has taken the lead on nearly every aspect of this project and worked through every detail. His diligence and communication allowed for a smooth and efficient process and went above and beyond his normal responsibilities.

Congratulations Scott!

The President’s Choice Award winner for April is fully aligned with the tenets of our Vision Statement.

Matt Pregi, a Special Events associate under normal circumstances, has been helping in the warehouse on second shift since the temporary pause on most special events. Matt took his schedule and responsibility change in stride and brought his usual positive attitude and great work ethic.

Since joining the warehouse team, Matt has helped in many aspects and filled various shifts and positions. He comes in before production to replenish and then helps in the towers, flow rack, chase and wherever he is needed. He asks questions and has worked hard to continue to learn about the warehouse and ways to increase efficiency. His team first mentality makes him a pleasure to work with.

Congratulations Matt!

The President’s Choice Award winner for March consistently looks for the best possible way to get the job done every day.

Tab Bell, a member of the bulk loading team in the Glenwillow warehouse, holds his fellow associates to a very high standard of accuracy and production. Tab has set a personal goal to be 100% accurate in 2020 and he is on track with ZERO errors in the first quarter, not one misloaded or missing keg or pallet. Tab’s work ethic is directly related to his excellent performance. On time and ready to work, he goes over his paperwork every night and points out any potential loading issues and makes adjustments before they can slow down production. The loading team is more efficient due to his efforts.

Tab has built great relationships with the delivery team and keeps communication open on loading routes to their individual needs. He also provides training and constructive direction to new associates.

Congratulations Tab!

The President’s Choice Award winner for March is awarded to an associate who is always willing to help when needed.

Steve Hershner, a bulk driver in the Columbus market, has built strong relationships with his customers and Account Managers in his 20+ years with Superior Beverage. He has earned their respect and trust through on-going communication and first-rate customer service. Steve is also a valued part of new hire training, as he does ride withs with new associates.

A true team player, he is willing to help when needed with any task. He has been known to salt an icy ramp at retail to help other drivers navigate safely. Steve typically does not run his bulk route on Wednesday and has spent those days cleaning in the office and warehouse helping to keep us safe. Not always evident is the smile under the face mask.

Congratulations Steve!

The President’s Choice Award winner for February is awarded to an associate who is committed to enhancing the business of our customers and suppliers.

Clayton Febus, a reset coordinator in the Customer Development department, has recently been tasked with helping to draw and facilitate c-store chain beer and wine sets. Clayton helped to deliver well-planned, professional presentations with the best interest of the customer and selling strategy in mind. 

Clayton is emerging as a leader in his department and in the market by being thorough and providing excellent follow up with issues that arise during a reset.

Congratulations Clayton!

The President’s Choice Award winner for February is awarded to an associate who consistently handles challenges with ease.

Cain Pontsler, a delivery driver in the downtown Columbus/North Shore area, is always careful but efficient. He has one of the most physical delivery routes, averaging 30+ stops a day and 250+ kegs a week with logistical obstacles such as basement coolers and downtown parking. Cain puts his customers and their needs first while maintaining a positive attitude and willing spirit.

In one example, Cain had a rooftop account that had a broken elevator on his regularly scheduled delivery day. Instead of rescheduling the delivery, Cain hauled their order up 9 flights of stairs to ensure the customer received the product they needed. His work ethic, positive attitude, willingness to go the extra step and commitment to our customers make him a great role model and team player.

Congratulations Cain!

The President’s Choice Award winner for January is awarded to an associate whose desire to be excellent and win at retail is unquestionable.

Lauren Donohue, an Account Manager, led the Columbus and Mansfield sales teams in growth percentage for January. Results like this are only attained by careful planning, an eye for detail, and aggressive implementation. She is consistently a leader in quick chain execution and has a sense of urgency around key objectives and new item launches. 

In January, Lauren was instrumental in the successful market visit of a key trading partner. Her stores were survey ready with correct pricing, creative merchandising and proper placement. She is a leader in the sales department, and regularly shares best practices and innovative ideas with the team.

Congratulations Lauren.

The President’s Choice Award winner for January is awarded to an associate who takes pride in his work and is a consummate professional.

Jason O’Quinn, a delivery driver, is a veteran of Superior Beverage Group and will reach his 15-year milestone this Spring. In his tenure, Jason has built strong relationships with his customers, understands their needs and goes the extra mile to service them. That extra mile is literal as he often drives out of his way to help rectify an error on an order or a customer concern. Jason also recognizes the needs of his fellow drivers and the account managers. He is the first one at the Canton drop lot and helps to set others up for success by getting power jacks ready for the drivers and the sales to deliver orders organized for the account managers.

Congratulations Jason.

Our President’s Choice December winner had excellent results and stood out above the crowd.

Larry Sampson, an Account Manager, led the Sales Department in growth in December. His personal impact reaches far beyond his sales route and results. He began his career at Superior Beverage when he worked in our Cleveland warehouse while in college. Larry has held various positions in multiple departments throughout the organization and recently overcame a significant personal health issue with class. He has high personal values, is hardworking, and demonstrates alignment with the company vision.

Congratulations Larry.

Our Annual President’s Choice Award winner for 2019, Washington Gatimu, stood out for several reasons. He set a personal productivity goal for his work for the year, and then exceeded his goal. Washington never fails to go above and beyond. He always gets to work on time or early, has an infectiously positive attitude, works with high accuracy, and to quote one of his managers, “continues to amaze us”.

In the words of a manager who works with him daily, “He is a very consistent, dependable associate who comes to work with a desire to improve, a teamwork mentality, a positive attitude, pleasant demeanor, and smile on his face”. 

Congratulations Washsington.

The December President’s Choice Award winner is truly aligned with our Vision Statement.

Terry Donahue, an Inventory Control Specialist in the Glenwillow warehouse was nominated by managers from every department including, Operations, Administration, and Sales. This demonstrates the value she adds and the cooperation she engages in across the
entire organization. Her hard work and initiative shown throughout the year led to an expense reduction in Inventory Adjustments by a significant amount. In December, Terry demonstrated her continuous passion for solving problems through results, collaboration with other departments, and a resolve to communicate effectively.

Congratulations Terry.

Our 2019 Annual President’s Choice Award winner was selected for a number of reasons.

He is highly motivated, a self-starter, has great relationships, excellent customer service, and a relentless passion to win.

Marcus Geiselman, an Account Manager in the On Premise Division, strives for excellence, and is absolutely dedicated to enhancing his customers’ businesses. It is no surprise that we receive multiple nominations for him month in and month out. He was a continuous high performer throughout the year. To quote his managers “if he rarely misses an opportunity, he takes it personal, it doesn’t happen again” and “he embodies the Vision Statement, is a great family man, and a consistent winner”.

Congratulations Marcus.