Fine wine importer Wilson Daniels and Wilson Daniels Wholesale (WDW), part of the Underwood family’s Young’s Holdings, Inc., has appointed two new Senior Vice Presidents, effective February 25, 2020. These roles will be undertaken by Benjy Kirschner and Kevin Murphy (formerly VP of Sales and VP of Operations, respectively).
“These promotions are well-deserved, and it’s a pleasure to extend them to these exceptional members of the Wilson Daniels family,” says Wilson Daniels president Rocco Lombardo. “In 2015, Benjy and Kevin embraced the responsibility of launching our company’s wholesale business to a tremendous effect. Our working relationship has spanned three decades and provided the confidence in spearheading these ambitious new challenges.”
Having started his wine career in sales with a New York-based distributor – where he was ultimately positioned as VP of Sales & Domestic Portfolio – Benjy Kirschner has been with Wilson Daniels since 2015. His focus remains on developing strong partnerships with fine wine retailers and restaurants; structuring attractive and educational events for the market’s highest-profile wine buyers; and supervising revenue growth, which in 2019, exceeded $50,000,000 in less than five years of operation. Kirschner’s expertise in all facets of the wine industry has been instrumental in solving a range of market challenges. Working closely with Kevin Murphy and a team of approximately forty-five members, the WDW unit has enhanced the company’s profitability, energized its culture and heightened its visibility in the marketplace.
“Working with the exceptional talent at Wilson Daniels Wholesale has been a great source of pride for me during the last five years,” says Kirschner, who lives in Hastings-on-Hudson with his wife and three young children. “Being able to interact with like-minded people while representing world-class wines and delivering excellent customer service is a true honor. It also serves as reminder that our work embodies a strong dedication to family and tradition – two values that I hold dearly.”
Connecticut native Kevin Murphy’s career in wine began in Virginia with the fortune of working at fine wine distributor Roanoke Valley Wine Company before broadening his operational responsibilities at a New York-based wholesaler. He joined Wilson Daniels Wholesale in July 2015 to launch operations in New York and New Jersey as the strategic voice of the company. His role expanded to include Wilson Daniels in 2016 and he now oversees both national import and wholesale operations. Murphy leads all daily business activity while providing project management for major company initiatives, including all systems development and site relocations for both the Napa headquarters and Galaxy Wine Company, acquired by Wilson Daniels Wholesale Company in July of 2018.
“I consider it a privilege and great responsibility to be in the position of Senior Vice President of Operations at Wilson Daniels. Working not only with Rocco and Benjy, but also with so many other exceptional professionals, allows me the opportunity to develop my skills in a healthy, supportive environment, and one with high expectations,” says Murphy, who lives in New Jersey with his wife and twin sons. “I look forward to the next chapter of my career working alongside this elite team.”
About Wilson Daniels
Founded in 1978, Wilson Daniels is a fully integrated, family-owned marketing and sales company representing a highly selective portfolio of the world’s most distinctive wines. Wilson Daniels continues to pursue and elevate the standards of excellence set by founders Win Wilson and Jack Daniels through developing long-term, strategic partnerships with luxury producers that possess profound respect for terroir and are benchmarks in their region. To learn more about Wilson Daniels, visit www.wilsondaniels.com.
About Wilson Daniels Wholesale
Wilson Daniels Wholesale is a family-owned distributor in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Oregon representing the world’s preeminent wines since 2015. We offer a portfolio of terroir-focused wines that are singular expressions of each unique region and spotlight our producers’ traditions and heritage alongside their distinctive wines. Headquartered in New York City, the company’s offices and in-house tasting room boast views of the Empire State Building in Manhattan’s historic, architecturally rich Flatiron District.
