Branca, Managing Director, Branca USA Donna Frederick, an interview with a National Account Salesperson Legend

Allied Domecq Spirits National Account Team

An Interview with Donna Frederick

A National Account Salesperson Legend

I am fortunate to be sitting with Donna Frederick, truly one of the sales stars in the national accounts onpremise channel and a longtime friend of IMI Agency and in the Mix magazine. As Donna retired at the end of 2020 after a successful and rewarding 45year career in beverage alcohol, I had to take a quick walk with her down memory lane.

— Celeste Dinos

Celeste Dinos: Tell us about your career journey. How did you get your start in the alcohol beverage industry?

Donna Frederick: I always considered myself the luckiest person in this world. The opportunities I have had in this industry — I mean, no one could have ever predicted how crazy or wonderful this journey would have been. It has been amazing. I cannot tell you how thankful I am. For me, it began in the mid-seventies when I started bartending in Connecticut. After a while, I was looking to do something

different and went to work for a temp agency. The first assignment they put me on was for the liquor distributor, Brescome (now Brescome Barton), working in the office. After being there for about six months I decided I wanted to try sales. At that time, there were no women salespeople in Connecticut (in the liquor industry). So, after a lot of persistence on my end, they finally decided to let me give it a go. Ten years later I was still at it and successful, doing quite well. From there I was fortunate to get hired at Allied Domecq. I was at Allied Domecq for 24 years until the company sold their brands to Pernod Ricard and Jim Beam. After that, I could not go to work at Pernod Ricard or Beam, as going to work for one of them would have stood in the way of my severance package with Allied Domecq. So, I went to work with Remy Cointreau. I worked at Remy Cointreau for a year when Beam contacted me, and by that time I was free to work anywhere. We made a deal, and I spent the rest of my career, 15 years, with Beam Suntory.

CD: Who have been your mentors along your journey?

DF: I have so many mentors, but my biggest mentor along the way was Jim Flaherty, who unfortunately passed away this year. Jim was kind of the “Godfather” of the National Account on-premise industry, and I was so fortunate to have worked for him. He was an incredible man and had such a great vision. Under Jim was Michele Hlavay, who left the industry about 20 years ago, but she was also an incredibly impactful person in my career, especially going into National Account sales. Michele called on Marriott International, and I learned a lot from her. When she left the company, Marriott ended up becoming my account, which truly put my career on the map. What is funny is that some of my mentors have also been some of my biggest competitors. I would be remiss if I did not say that Paul Laconte (previously with Diageo) was one of my mentors even though we were competitors. I have known Paul since the beginning of my career in 1975 and reconnected with him when I came into National Accounts. The same with John Niekrash (previously with Proximo), so when I say mentors, they were great examples to follow and individuals who I thought were doing a great job and had good reputations in the industry.

CD: What was the highlight of your career?

DF: The highlight of my career, and not being disrespectful to any other companies I worked for, were the years I was with Allied Domecq. It was the beginning of On-Premise National Accounts. Everything was new. It was like forging a new path. I learned a lot, and I ended up working with people who to this day I consider family. Jim Flaherty was a big part of that, and it was by far the greatest team that I ever worked with. I have worked with some great teams, but there was a synergy amongst our group that is hard to describe. It was like lightning in a bottle. They are still my best friends today. I talk to them regularly. We have not worked together in 20 years and yet we are still as close as we ever were. When we see each other, we get together and laugh and remember how it was just magic. I could do a whole interview on my time with Allied Domecq, the time and the stories and experiences over the years. It really was impactful to me, and then when Jim left Allied Domecq, Mike Ginley came in to run National Accounts and we continued on and our team attitude was always “just do it.”

One of the things I remember the most about our team was that we always thought we were not as good as other companies in National Accounts. Then after Allied Domecq shut down, we realized we were so far ahead of ourselves and had no idea how far ahead we were in the industry. In hindsight, at the time I did not necessarily know what an incredible team we were on the business side of it.

CD: I was very fortunate to get to work with your team before Allied Domecq sold their brands, and you are right, Donna, you all had something very special and unique as a whole group.

DF: (Laughing) Yes, I think anybody who saw us knew it and to this day still sees it. So yeah, it was incredible. That is why I call it lightning in a bottle. It was magic. I cannot describe the friendships that came out of that time.

CD: Try. Tell me something special about each person on the team.

DF: Oh, my goodness, where do I start? Linda Barnhart, probably the most buttoned up and funniest woman I know. Michael O’Connell is the best at resolving confrontations and probably the hardest working and most organized. John Maggio is by far the most charming and probably one of the better salespeople. Larry Guerra is one of the best people I have ever met at delegating. Those are the initial teammates that come to mind.

CD: I know many people who like to live vicariously through you and your travel lifestyle. How have you managed to experience so many different countries?

DF: Funny thing is, I lost count of how many, but when I think back, I have visited more than 25 countries. I was just fortunate to be with some great companies and work with some of the best partners and clients in the industry. Whether it was Marriott or Hilton or Loews or Columbia Sussex — all have hotels in incredible parts of the world and we had meetings in those places. I have also represented brands that have some fantastic educational stories and locations, whether it is in Cognac, France or in Scotland or Ireland or Russia or Japan. I have been really, really blessed.

In Russia with Stoli Master Distiller Climbing Sydney Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia

CD: Which trips were some of your most memorable or your favorite?

DF: Trying to pick a favorite is too hard. Most memorable, I probably have six. My first one is Russia. Mostly because it was so not what anyone expected it to be. There were so many funny stories that came out of that trip, from a formal, white-glove dinner where they presented fish sticks under sterling silver domes, to eating bad caviar and drinking cheap Vodka straight. Australia is another one. Climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge will always be unforgettable. I could go on and on, but what made each of these trips so memorable were the people traveling with me. It did not matter which country, it was who was with me that made the trip, and the reasons why I had the most incredible experiences in my life. I sit here and I think, “I am the luckiest woman on the planet.” Truly. And you have gone on a lot of these trip with me. I mean, how lucky are we?

CD: I remember being in Sweden and our group trying to shoot Jeremy Dodson out of an old military cannon, and one of my favorite pictures of you is from that same trip. We were out in the countryside, with the people from ABSOLUT Vodka, and we were in this little cottage, all hands-on preparing dinner, and I think Jeremy or Paul Laconte dubbed the picture of you in a blue apron, “Mary Poppins.” Do you remember which photo I am referring to?

DF: Yes, I do. They did name that picture Mary Poppins. It was right after Paul threw his white sweater in the fireplace because someone had spilled red wine all over it. That was a fun time.

CD: The best travelers are those who can “go with the flow,” as there are so many uncontrollable factors involved in travel. Tell us about some of your crazier experiences.

DF: Well, going back to our trip to Russia, which was years in the making, it was not a direct flight from where I lived in Connecticut and the airlines ended up delaying multiple legs of my flight, so it took me two days to get there. Myself and two of the other hosts of the trip finally got there only to find out that in addition to the delays, the airline also lost my luggage; I had to wear a brown velour jumpsuit almost the entire trip.

Donna dubbed “Mary Poppins” in Sweden Finally arriving in Russia

Other experiences — I have been on many trips where I was with people, especially on Kentucky Bourbon trips, where I had to take care of them after a little too much imbibing, and I end up being a nursemaid. We have had a lot of experiences where attendees on an educational work trip show up and surprise everyone by bringing an uninvited +1. There was an attendee in Russia who showed up with her mother, and absolutely no one knew she was bringing her. There have been educational winery trips to California where someone shows up at the airport in San Francisco with their friend, so you kind of learn to go with the flow with that and try to make it all work out.

CD: There was another trip we were on together in Barbados to visit the Malibu distillery. On the last day of the trip a hurricane was headed straight for the island. Do you remember that one? The government shut down the entire island.

DF: Yes, and that was not the only hurricane experience we have been through together! We also experienced one on the island of Jamaica at The Ritz-Carlton, Montego Bay where we had a Marriott Gold Standard Challenge Conference. It was the final day and most of the attendees had already left the island, but everyone remaining had to evacuate their rooms, pool, wherever they were and go to the main conference area of the hotel. Terry Connaughton (with Guinness at the time) came walking down the hallway in a towel and about gave me a heart attack! It was a crazy experience, though I never remember being scared. We were all in it together.

CD: Who would have thought working in the liquor industry you would end up with so much travel experience?

DF: I know, and honestly, I would be remiss not saying how closely I have worked with IMI over the years. Most of these trips would not have happened without IMI and your entire staff. I could not have done it without some of the people on your team bringing all the details together. So, thank you for that.

CD: Oh, thank you, Donna! It has been our pleasure and a joy.

How many different spirit and wine brands have you represented over the years?

DF: You know, Celeste, between distributors and the major suppliers that I worked with, all I can say is hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds. Just take one category, like Vodka, for example. One week I was selling Smirnoff with the distributor, the next week I am selling ABSOLUT, the next it was Stoli with Allied Domecq. In my 45-year career I have sold most of the major premium brands at some point in time, but not all of them.

CD: Which was your favorite brand?

DF: Without a doubt, Maker’s Mark. Always has been, always will be. It is just my favorite funky, fun brand. It has a great story and history behind it and the family — the way they market, the way they sell, the way they treat people; it is just an incredible and truly authentic brand. The distillery tour is an experience everyone should have at least once in their lives. I could give the tour myself, I have been so many times. There are lots of other brands I will always love too, but Maker’s Mark is always the first one that comes to mind. It was definitely my favorite brand to sell.

CD: What is your go-to happy hour cocktail?

DF: Right now, a Paloma.

CD: How do you make yours?

DF: I make mine with Fever Tree Grapefruit Soda, Hornitos Reposado and a little rim of salt. Give me that and I am one happy girl. It is easy to drink, easy to make, unintimidating and refreshing.

CD: It is a great cocktail for where you are now, on the beach in southern Florida.

DF: Yes, that’s true. Perfect beach cocktail.

CD: Now that you have retired, are there any individuals that you will miss? I know you mentioned missing some of your mentors. Are there any others?

DF: Too many to mention, honestly. As you can imagine, through 45 years I have dealt with so many people who were influential to me whether they were with Marriott or Hilton or the distilleries or any of the coworkers I have had. Fortunately, I can say I have been able to keep in touch with a lot of the people I was close to. I am really surprised after retiring, even though it has only been a couple of months, how I still hear from a lot of people on a regular basis, and that means more to me than anything in the world. I now live in an area in south Florida where several of my old

competitors live, so I won’t be missing them very much, as I will get to see them all the time, but there are some people who have left the industry that I will miss. There are also some legends in the industry that I have been blessed to work with and to call on as my customers, from Stan Novack and Brian Yost to Rob Gillette and Matthew Von Ertfelda, who were all influential in my career. There is no way I can thank them enough for supporting me through the years. I am sure I am missing some other people, but those names came to mind, and I just wanted to make sure I recognized them.

CD: Donna, you have always been highly regarded in the industry for your creativity, follow-through and dependability. I am sure with that has come with recognition along the way. What awards have you received?

DF: Oh gosh, I think the most special one is the very first one I received in the late 1980s, Supplier of the Year for Pizzeria Uno. Back then, I did not know there was even such a thing as awards in the national account industry. This first award was the most impactful as it gave me confidence to think I could do this job and do it well. Over the years I have been fortunate to receive other awards. The ones that mean a lot to me are the Marriott beverage supplier awards I received (three in total) because there are so many partners in that program and it is so hard to standout because of all the great talent calling on Marriott. The beverage salespeople who call on the lodging channel are the best in the business. To stand out against any of those people, whether it’s the Deborah Huttons or the Kathleen Smiths or any of my fantastic counterparts, I am completely humbled to think that I won awards in their company. It’s extremely humbling.

CD: I am sure every single one was very well deserved. What would you tell someone just starting out in the business?

DF: Well, first and foremost is to enjoy this ride because it is a ride that you cannot prepare yourself for. It is totally different from what people usually think it is. Secondly, is to have integrity. That is the most important thing you can have. If you say you are going to do something, then do it. And lastly, listen to your customers. When I say listen,

Donna at a Marriott Global Beverage Partner Conference in 2019.

don’t just listen to the big things. Sometimes it is the little things that make you stand out. Those were for me some of the things that helped make me successful, especially delivering on something that maybe someone else did not hear or did not think was important.

CD: You have been a long-standing ambassador and advocate for the industry charity CORE (Children of Restaurant Employees). Thank you for that. What has volunteering for the organization meant to you?

DF: I have loved every minute of it. The charity was started by some very good-hearted people who were sitting in a bar trying to find a way to give back to our industry. I told you how lucky I have been with all the things I have done in my career. I do not take that for granted. I would not have gotten to have this wonderful career if it were not for some of the people who were working in the restaurants, bars, stadiums and hotels at the local level, and sometimes at the local level they do not have the benefits and other things that you have working for larger corporations. Volunteering for CORE has been an incredible opportunity to give back. I love giving back. I have been honored to actually meet three to four of the CORE award recipients; it was very heart warming and touching. I am honored to have even been in their company.

CD: What are your plans for retirement?

DF: I am busier now than I have ever been. I am golfing. I am doing some consulting. I have done some volunteer work. I take a lot of art classes. I sold my condo so I am in the process of moving, but honestly, life is wonderful. I have to say that it is the perfect time in my life. My career ended right when it was supposed to. I loved it all the way up to the very last minute, but it was time for me to move on and let someone new come in and enjoy this. And I am enjoying this down time. It has been wonderful and I have personally never been happier.

CD: The other day I was thinking how hard it is going to be for Ken Ruff to fill your shoes (at Beam Suntory). Truly, they are unfillable.

Jim Beam Event with Montgomery Gentry

DF: Well, the thing is, with Covid and all the changes that have been made since the pandemic hit, there is hardly anyone left in the industry who knows me. The industry changed in 2020 so much so, that my successor does not have to follow in my footsteps. It is not the same industry I left. Moving forward will be totally different in how salespeople call on customers. Especially in the hotel and stadium channels, which is where I specialized. The customers will mostly be new, with new styles, new ways of doing business. The sales industry is redefining itself. So, I do not think it is going to be hard to follow in my shoes. It is almost like starting a new job and starting from scratch. It may be tough for them at first, but also good. Celeste, when I sit here and try to recount each and every experience I have had, I cannot tell you how much I smile, how much I laugh, how I realize how lucky I am. I could go on for hours and hours. Thank you, as this interview has made me sit back and remember all the good times over again. We worked really hard but we played really hard too.

Aspen Food & Wine Classic with Marriott and Zac Brown

Attending a Marriott Meeting in San Diego, CA In Dublin, Ireland with Dan Hoffman.