Opici Wines & Spirits Announces New Leadership Team

On Oct 17, 2023

Glen Rock-based Opici Wines & Spirits has completed the acquisition of Pacific Highway Wines and has introduced an expanded leadership team to support the organization’s forecasted growth.

The company will be led by Don Opici, who takes the role of chief executive officer. Don, who joined the family business in 2005 after graduating from Columbia Business School, will oversee the company’s strategic direction. He will be joined by a team of executives from Opici Wines & Spirits and Pacific Highway Wines to lead the organization forward.

“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter, further solidifying Opici Wines & Spirits as one of the leading importers and producers in the industry,” said Don Opici. “With this exceptional team of sales, operations, marketing, and communications leaders, we are poised to drive our business growth to the next level.

Mark Giordano moves to the role of president, reporting to Don Opici and responsible for the Opici Wines & Spirits business growth. After more than a decade growing the business of Pacific Highway Wines, Giordano will lead an executive team and drive Opici Wines & Spirits on an accelerated growth journey. Giordano has tapped six executives as his direct reports spanning sales strategy, sales execution, national accounts, operations, marketing, and communications.

Stefano Francini takes on the newly created role of vice president, sales strategy and is responsible for the architecture of Opici Wines & Spirits sales planning. Directing another new role of Sales Data Analyst, Stefano will oversee the critical areas of pricing, channel strategy, sales data analysis, and brand promotional planning.

Jerry LaVecchia moves over from Pacific Highway Wines and is promoted to vice president, sales – national wholesale. In this role, LaVecchia oversees eight director-level direct reports and a total team of 24 sales professionals who are poised to execute the sales strategies.

The third sales executive, also from Pacific Highway Wines, is Rachel Roberts, vice president, national accounts. Roberts is responsible for the execution of Opici Wines & Spirits enhanced efforts in national accounts on-premise and retail chains. An expanded division for the group, Roberts will oversee four National Accounts Directors focusing on retail, and two National Accounts Directors focusing on the on-premise.

The Opici Wines & Spirits Operations team will expand with the promotion of John Mihm as vice president, operations. Mihm brings his recent experience delivering on large-scale supply chain and business operations from Pacific Highway Wines to this new chapter at Opici Wines & Spirits.

The group Marketing team expands under the leadership of Amanda Panicali, vice president, marketing. Managing more than 50 domestic and imported brands under the Opici Wines & Spirits umbrella, Panicali’s team of four brand managers will support and deliver effective marketing and promotion campaigns to the sales team.

Finally, with the business in fast growth and team expansion, Opici Wines & Spirits has tapped Angela Slade as vice president, communications to build a new division within the business for corporate communications and strategic brand communications efforts.

“There is much to be proud of as these two wonderful organizations come together; however, the pride rests on what is to come,” Giordano commented. “Having known and worked with the Opici family for more than 15 years, I’m incredibly honored to lead this talented team at Opici Wines & Spirits as we embark on a path of accelerated growth together.”

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