Ecstasy RAISES SPIRITS by APPOINTING,
promoting sales execs
Ross, Matlick Join Super Premium "Enhanced
Spirit" Team
SANTA MONICA, CA - June
27, 2007-Encore Brands LLC, the brand owner
of super premium enhanced spirit Ecstasy,
has announced several key hires and promotions
on the sales side for the organization.
Grenada-born Kelly-Ann Ross has been promoted
to Sales Manager for the Northeast and Caribbean.
The New York resident joined Encore Brands
just this past March. Most recently, she
was at Southern Wine & Spirits training
Key Account Managers and winning several
monthly awards before joining Encore. Before
that, she worked on Bacardi as an in-house
rep from Charmer. Ross started her career
in the beverage industry with Guinness in
Grenada in 1993. After moving to New York
to complete her education, she founded a
promotional agency and trained women to
do on and off-premise tastings and promotions
for beverage brands.
"I'm really excited to be a part of
Encore Brands," she says, "and
I'm looking forward to contributing to its
continued success throughout the U.S. and
on an international level."
On the left coast, Jonathan "Jonny"
Matlick, also a seasoned Southern veteran
and University of Florida Gator alumnus,
joins Encore as Manager, Southwest/West
Region. In his six years at SWS-a member
of the 100% Club for three of them as Hotel
and Restaurant Specialist--he managed a
sales territory consisting of 75 accounts
with revenues starting at $1.5 million and
grew them to $4 million over the course
of his tenure. Matlick also did product
placement for Southern brands. He started
his sales career in Fort Lauderdale with
Northwestern Mutual Life.
The new team members join other Regional
Sales Managers, including Aidan Lynch (formerly
of Pernod Ricard and Judge and Dolph ) for
the Midwest; Jeff Brill, Manager Southeast
(formerly of Rockstar and Anheuser Busch)
and VP Worldwide Brand Development Ned Morris,
(formerly with Answer Think, where he was
responsible for software solutions specific
to the spirits industry and Judge and Dolph
where we was responsible for sales of both
wine and spirits brands.
"These appointments round out our senior
sales staff," said Encore COO Eric
Barlund, who previously served as a VP at
Nolet Spirits (Ketel One) and at Judge and
Dolph before joining Encore. "This
completes the team whose responsibility
to the organization and to their market
is to develop the brand on and off premise
and work with our distributors in each of
their regions. We've every confidence they
will deliver."
Here in the States, Ecstasy continues strong
growth. It's now available in eight States
(including California, New York, Florida
and New Jersey) and expects to open two
more in the next few months. Ecstasy is
distributed nationally by Southern Wine
& Spirits. Additional distribution agreements
recently formed include Fedway in New Jersey
and Edison in Wisconsin.
As arresting in appearance as it is in flavor
and characteristics, Ecstasy comes in a
deep red, high-shouldered, frosted glass
bottle. The sexy red bottle is easily recognizable
on the back bar with its distinctive X logo
and is beautiful enough to keep as a decanter.
Users can visit www.drinkecstasy.com
for more information and recipes.
About Encore Brands
Founded in 2003, Encore Brands LLC is a
marketing company focused on building unique
brands in the beverage industry. Headquartered
in Santa Monica, California, Encore has
offices in Illinois, Florida and affiliates
worldwide.
For additional information, please contact
Deanna Menold, CFO of Encore Brands, at
408.205.5667 or dmenold@drinkecstasy.com
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