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Smoke
- Male
- Carmel, IN
- United States
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- Blog Posts (18)
- Discussions (25)
- Events
- Groups (16)
- Photos (494)
- Photo Albums (1)
- Videos (32)
Smoke's Groups
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Free the Grapes!
8 members
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Michel Reverte
49 members
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Friends of SommelierAlum…
13 members
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The Corkscrew Diary
118 members
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VinoForDinner.com
104 members
Smoke's Discussions
Should I make the trip to Wine 2.0 NY?
Replied Nov. 7, 2009
Wine 2.0 New York - comments from the event
Replied Nov. 6, 2009
drinktechnology blog
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Smoke's Page
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Profile Information
- Wine Affilliation: Consumer or Trade
- Consumer
- About Me:
- Smoke is an accomplished leader and successful entrepreneur in the beverage & technology industries. He has spent the last 20 years leading or advising many of the leading brand owners and distributors on their “go-to-market” strategies, market execution plans and capital raising/investments. Smoke has raised $100s of millions publically and privately, made 19 acquisitions or sales/divestitures and started 8 companies.
Education Highlights
•Vanderbilt Business School, MBA, concentrations in Finance, Marketing & Operations, Nashville, TN, 1993
•Cornell University, BS in Agricultural Economics, Ithaca, NY, 1989
Career Highlights
•Founder & CEO, Taliera Holdings, acquisition and beverage brand management company- www.taliera.com 2006 to present
•Founder, Chairman & CEO, eSkye, software provider for National Accounts & Brands- www.eskye.com 1999 to present
•Chairman Wine 2.0, the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry- www.winetwo.com 2008 to present
•Founder & Co-Chairman, Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS), 2005 to present
•Chief Financial Officer, EVP & Director, National Wine & Spirits, leading Midwest distributor- www.nwscorp.com 1988 to 2004
•Chairman & President & Director, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, www.wswa.org 1996 to 2004
•Director/Investor United States Beverage (USB) Beer Importer/Marketer, 1997 to 2002
•Co-Founder & Director, Cameron Springs Water Company, 1991 to 2000
Current & Past Boards and Leadership
•Taliera Holdings, Chairman
•eSkye Solutions, Chairman
•WITS – Wine Industry Technology Symposium, Chair
•Wine 2.0, Chairman
•Vanderbilt Business School Alumni Board President
•Entrepreneurship Foundation of JA, Past Chairman
•WSWA, Chairman & President
•National Wine & Spirits
•Centiv [NASDAQ: CNTV]
•Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program 1996
•Council For Leadership Development, Past Chairman
•Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Past Chairman
Serial Entrepreneur and Beverage Industry Innovator. Smoke has a strong track record of taking ideas from initial concept through the business development process, rewarding clients with clear and concise strategic goals and deliverables. In 1991, he created Cameron Springs Company, which later became the leading bottled water brand in its markets in the Midwest, and eventually sold to Nestle in 2000. Smoke also founded eSkye.com in 1999. eSkye developed and deployed technology for the global beverage industry and currently is the leader in connecting brand owners to key national accounts, led by their initial success with Wal-Mart. He set up offices in Madrid, London, Bangalore and Oslo. Smoke acquired 6 other software companies under eSkye and sold the global winery software division to publicly traded Constellation Software in 2007.
In 2005, he founded WITS, the Wine Industry Technology Symposium. In 1997, Smoke backed financially and operationally, the creation of United States Beverage USB- which over time, imported and marketed over 12 million cases of key beer brands in the US. In 1997, Smoke created NWS Michigan, which captured 60% of the State of Michigan’s liquor business and now ships over $400 million of spirits and wine. He founded Endeavor Corporation, which became a leading boutique consultancy in Category Management for the beverage industry. In 2006, Smoke founded Taliera Holdings, a company set-up to acquire and build beverage brands. Taliera acquired Red Eye Brand in 2008 and has re-branded it and launched it in multiple markets across the US. In 2008, Smoke Co-Founded Wine 2.0 the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry with a focus on the next generation wine consumer.
Vision, Impact & Industry Leader In 1988, NWS was a $150 million single state wine & spirits distributor. Smoke led the strategic thinking and execution at NWS, which created a $1 billion plus multi-state wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverage distributor. Smoke created the Council for Leadership Development with some fellow up-and-coming leaders of WSWA to foster leadership for the long term. In addition to his extensive board activity, Smoke is a frequent public speaker and advisor on strategic, market, financial and legislative issues of the beverage alcohol industry and entrepreneurship. His clients or business partners have included: Anheuser-Busch, Credit Suisse, Diageo, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Allied Domecq, Bass Brewers, Grolsch, Fortune Brands, Seagram, Sierra Nevada, Pete’s Brewing, Stroh’s, Foster’s, US Tobacco, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Trinchero Family Estates as well as 100s of other winery clients from North America to New Zealand. In addition, Smoke has advised investment banks, Credit Suisse, Dematteo Moness and others and many hedge/investment funds on their global beverage investment strategies. Smoke is the recipient of numerous awards and honors in leadership and community service and is an active member of YPO. He is an Eagle Scout and serves as a frequent parent leader in the Crossroads of America council.
- Favorite Wine Website:
- http://www.taliera.com
- Name your favorite wine or wine type:
- Pinot Noir
- Most memorable experience around wine?
- 2 many to count.... but here is one, drinking Domain Serene at the Evantad's house
Twitter link
Smoke's Photos
Smoke's Videos
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First Montage of Wine 2.0 New York
Added by Smoke
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Fabulous Colleen and Wine 2.0 NY
Added by Smoke
Smoke's Blog
Wine 2.0 in the news...
Pair pour connections through Web site on wine
Posted: Jan. 30, 2010
View All Blog Posts
Like any other hobby, interest or passion, online social networking is changing the way people explore and appreciate wine.
And a Web site founded by a couple of Milwaukee entrepreneurs called Wine 2.0 is in the thick of it - an online destination where players in the industry and vino fans converge in a Facebook-esque, grape-powered playpen.
The site's address is www.wi… Continue
Posted: Jan. 30, 2010
View All Blog Posts
Like any other hobby, interest or passion, online social networking is changing the way people explore and appreciate wine.
And a Web site founded by a couple of Milwaukee entrepreneurs called Wine 2.0 is in the thick of it - an online destination where players in the industry and vino fans converge in a Facebook-esque, grape-powered playpen.
The site's address is www.wi… Continue
Posted on January 31, 2010 at 7:39am —
My lastest post on the Drink Technology blog - The Fall Season Shapes Up: Thoughts on online and offline Wine market...
The Fall Season Shapes Up: Thoughts on online and offline Wine market...
My friend Liza has a nice piece in Winebusiness.com today on the Fall selling season. Reports from Nielsen, Bill Cascio at Glazer’s, Wilford Wong at Beverages and more! all point toward improvement over last year, though value driving business.
Yesterday, another Wine 2.0 friend, John Corcoran’s blog “Think Wine Marketing” had a well done piece on the state of marketing wine online with his interview of Paul Mabry.… Continue
My friend Liza has a nice piece in Winebusiness.com today on the Fall selling season. Reports from Nielsen, Bill Cascio at Glazer’s, Wilford Wong at Beverages and more! all point toward improvement over last year, though value driving business.
Yesterday, another Wine 2.0 friend, John Corcoran’s blog “Think Wine Marketing” had a well done piece on the state of marketing wine online with his interview of Paul Mabry.… Continue
Posted on November 10, 2009 at 8:02am —
New York Wine industry booming
I just saw this report which points out what many of us have known for some time, that NY has a thriving wine industry. I thought it worth highlighting as we have a handful of NY based wine companies (some producers, some importers) joining our many other fantastic wines from CA and around the world at Wine 2.0 New York Nov 18.
Here is a partial list:
Bouke'
Dr Frank's Vinifera
Fox Run Vineyards
Hudson Valley Wine Country
Hudson Chatham Winery
Milbrook Vineyards and Winery
Palaia Vine… Continue
Here is a partial list:
Bouke'
Dr Frank's Vinifera
Fox Run Vineyards
Hudson Valley Wine Country
Hudson Chatham Winery
Milbrook Vineyards and Winery
Palaia Vine… Continue
Posted on November 9, 2009 at 7:09am —
Wine 2.0 Announces New York Premiere Of Documentary Film 'America's Wine: The Legacy Of Prohibition' At Wine 2.0 New York Nov 18
New Film Takes Unprecedented Historic View of America's Wine Industry - 'America's Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition' Includes Interviews Which Chronicle The Rebuilding Of The Wine Industry And The Emergence Of A New American Wine Culture.
NEW YORK, NY, November 06, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Wine 2.0, the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry, announces the Premiere and New York release of the documentary film America's Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition at Wi… Continue
NEW YORK, NY, November 06, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Wine 2.0, the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry, announces the Premiere and New York release of the documentary film America's Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition at Wi… Continue
Posted on November 6, 2009 at 8:36am —
Wine 2.0 Announces WTN Services Featuring Geerlings & Wade and Heritage Link Brands Wine Products As Host Sponsor For The 2009 Wine 2.0 Expo New York Event
WTN Services, The Leading Winery Fulfillment Company Owned By 1-800-Flowers.com , To Showcase Latest East Coast Services Offering
NEW YORK, NY, October 25, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Wine 2.0, the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry, announces that WTN Services featuring premier partners, Heritage Link Brands and Geerlings and Wade has joined as Event Host sponsor for Wine 2.0 Expo New York.
Wine 2.0 Expo New York will be held on No… Continue
NEW YORK, NY, October 25, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Wine 2.0, the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry, announces that WTN Services featuring premier partners, Heritage Link Brands and Geerlings and Wade has joined as Event Host sponsor for Wine 2.0 Expo New York.
Wine 2.0 Expo New York will be held on No… Continue
Posted on October 25, 2009 at 4:02pm —
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