ST. LOUIS -- Anheuser-Busch announced a reorganization of its sales team this week, aiming to "evolve to a total channel management selling organization, combining chain customers and independent retailers through a single channel strategy."
"This is about focusing on the shopper, the needs of our customers and on how to best leverage our brands and our trade solutions against the top merchandising levers within on premise, large format and c-store/package liquor," Alex Medicis, vice president of sales, said in an internal memo accessed by CSP Daily News. "These three teams will have total channel ownership of the strategy, communication and the execution of our game plan. Each team will be supported by our supply-chain logistics team and our BWD (business and wholesaler development) to ensure total system alignment."
The team leaders and their focus are:
CJ Watson, vice president, convenience stores, package liquor and military
C-store chain and independent retailers will be managed by CJ Watson, vice president, convenience stores, package liquor and military. Watson will report to Medicis.
He joined the company in 2007, working in CPPM and sales. Prior to this promotion, Watson most recently held the role of vice president, National Retail Sales (NRS) small format, and prior to that, served as vice president, category leadership. He is a Six-Sigma black belt and is a member of the NACS supplier board. He earned his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Missouri and his MBA from the University of Florida.
Chris Williams, vice president, large format, drug, dollar and trade relations
Large format chain and independent retailers will be managed by Chris Williams, vice president of large format (grocery, mass and Walmart), drug, dollar and trade relations. He will report to Medicis.
Williams joined Anheuser-Busch in 2001, working in various sales management roles, most recently managing NRS for the past five years. He is responsible for the development and implementation of A-B's Joint Business Plan strategy and the creation its Balanced Portfolio Approach selling platform. Williams and his team established the foundation for the company's Global Key Account Sales Excellence Program. He received a degree in marketing and business administration from Kent State University and completed A-B's company-sponsored executive MBA program at INSEAD and Wharton.
The large format team will manage grocery, mass, Walmart, drug, dollar and trade relations. Two key leaders within the large-format team reporting directly to Williams are, Randy Ornstein, vice president, Walmart Inc., and Mike Potthoff, vice president, customer strategy and trade relations.
Josh Halpern, vice president, on premise
On-premise chain and independent retailers will be managed by Josh Halpern, vice president of on premise, reporting directly to Medicis. Halpern joined the company in 2012, and prior to this promotion, he worked in GHQ as senior director of global trade marketing. For the past two years, he has served as vice president, NRS on premise and military sales. In this role, Halpern and his team have outperformed the industry and the company's on-premise sales trend for two consecutive years. He also drove the experiential pillar of A-B's on-premise strategy by increasing branded buildouts in airports and venues by a factor of four. The most recent project "Beer Park by Budweiser" is due to open this month on the strip in Las Vegas.
Halpern holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and an MBA from Babson College.
Mike Zacharias, vice president trade marketing, category leadership and sales technology
The channel teams will work in conjunction with Mike Zacharias, vice president trade marketing, category leadership and sales technology. Zacharias joined the company in 2001, working in a variety of roles within CPPM, and for the past two years as head of trade marketing and sales technology.
Zacharias received his undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University and his MBA from Washington University. Adding to his responsibilities, Zacharias will now manage category leadership (Center of Excellence), led by Tim Gossett, vice president category leadership.
"We are very excited about this new path forward for the sales team at Anheuser-Busch," Medicis said. "This strategy will drive through the line planning, communication and execution as now both our HQ and regional structures are aligned to our wholesaler channel segmentation model. For our retail customers, this will further enhance lead times and market ready solutions built to deliver category relevance and results."
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