Amber Beverage Group Taps Ruslan Romanenko as CFO
Amber Beverage Group has appointed Ruslan Romanenko as group chief financial officer. Romanenko is a senior financial executive with over 25 years of experience in the industry and becomes part of the ABG executive board.
Before joining ABG, Romanenko worked as chief financial officer at Nemiroff, one of the leading vodka producers in Ukraine. Prior to this, he held similar executive roles at companies that included TerraFood, Bunge, and Philip Morris Ukraine. As well as being an experienced financial manager, Romanenko is able to develop and lead large multicultural finance and accounting teams.
“I am thrilled to have been appointed to this key role by Amber Beverage Group,” Romanenko said. “This global company, which has operations in several countries, will bring interesting and exciting new challenges where I can use my experience to help drive further growth. I am already enjoying my new environment as this role entailed a move from Kyiv to Riga. I am especially proud to join a company that has been offering so much practical and financial support to the people of Ukraine.”
Amber Beverage Group is a rapidly growing global spirits company, whose products are found in millions of households and venues across the globe. ABG’s core brands are Moskovskaya Vodka, Rooster Rojo Tequila, KAH Tequila, The Irishman Whiskey, Writers’ Tears Whiskey, Riga Black Balsam, Cross Keys Gin and Cosmopolitan Diva.
ABG produces, bottles, markets, distributes, exports, and retails a comprehensive range of beverages of which it owns more than 100 and is responsible for marketing and distributing 1,300 third-party drinks brands, spanning everything from premium vodka and sparkling wines to specialty Mexican tequilas and Irish whiskey.
The company has grown from its original core production business in the pan-Baltic region established in 1900, to a global spirits industry player that unites around 2,050 employees in almost 20 companies including Austria, Australia, the Baltic States, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
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Joe Parisi Named President of Gristedes & D’Agostino Supermarkets
Joe Parisi has been appointed as president of Gristedes & D’Agostino’s, Manhattan’s largest chain of supermarkets. Parisi holds the titles of president and chief operating officer of the 30-location New York City supermarket chain, bringing with him four decades of experience in the food and grocery industry.
Parisi joined Gristedes & D’Agostino in 2021 after more than three decades with Kings Food Markets, Inc./Balducci’s KB US Holdings Companies in New Jersey. Until 2021, Parisi was chief operating officer and board member at Kings, overseeing 33 high-end supermarkets across four states.
“His passion for the food industry is remarkable and will take the supermarket industry into the 21st century,” said John Catsimatidis, chairman/CEO of Red Apple Group. “He has a great vision for the 132-year-old Gristedes and 90-year-old D’Agostino, and we are confident that his leadership will bring our stores to new heights.”
Parisi assumed his new role on June 14. Parisi resides in Rockaway, N.J., with his wife, Gina, and three children, Joseph, Gianna and Jayson.
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Simone Biles Scores Wheaties Box Finale
In honor of its 100th anniversary, Wheaties is featuring decorated gymnast Simone Biles, widely regarded as one the greatest athletes of all time, as the finale box of its Century Series and year-long commemorative celebration.
Biles’s accomplishments include a record-breaking seven National All-Around titles, three consecutive and five overall World All-Around Titles, seven Olympic medals and pioneering four gymnastic skills named in her honor. But Biles is more than a gymnast, as she uses her platform to advocate for mental health reform and vigorously campaigns in support of efforts to provide education and assistance to children in the adoption and foster care systems.
The Wheaties year-long 100th anniversary celebration culminates with Biles’s historic first appearance on the iconic orange Wheaties box, now at retailers across the country. Like previous Century Series box athletes Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan before her, Biles will also appear on Gold Foil Box later this summer. These special collector’s boxes, available only at www.Shop.Wheaties.com, have previously sold out in as little as 30 minutes.
“Simone is so much more than an awe-inspiring gymnast – she’s an advocate, a teammate, a role model and the embodiment of both the future of sports and a Wheaties Champion,” said Kathy Dixon, senior brand experience manager for Wheaties. “We are so incredibly excited to be able to debut her very first Wheaties box as part of our 100th anniversary celebration and honor her alongside other legends like Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan.”
The partnership with Biles will also extend beyond the 100th anniversary boxes. Fans can find the latest updates on Instagram, or visit www.Shop.Wheaties.com, for the release date of the upcoming Gold Foil Box, as well as news about future Biles and Wheaties activities later this summer.
“I’m thrilled to appear on my first Wheaties box and so honored to be a part of the iconic brand’s 100th anniversary,” said Biles. “I appreciate this special recognition as I want to help continue to advance what it means to be a champion, and advocate for the things I believe in both on and off the mat.”
About the Century Box Series
Earlier this year, Wheaties announced the Century Box Series celebrating 100 years of the iconic brand, recognizing some of the most legendary athletes of our time. The series kicked off with none other than “The Greatest” Muhammad Ali, commemorating the late boxer’s achievements in and out of the ring, followed by Michael Jordan’s unparalleled 19th appearance on a Wheaties box.
To celebrate the centennial, Wheaties is paying homage to the athletes that continue to inspire future generations. For this momentous celebration, Wheaties is honoring trailblazing sports icons and their stories of accomplishments on and off the court. The athletes featured in the commemorative series are those who transcend sports and decades as the brand looks to its next 100 years.
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