Did you miss our other installments in the Women in Hospitality series? Read about Hawaiian bartender Mari Howe, Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall, Brand Co-Founder Brittany Merrill Yeng, CEO Shirley Leigh-Wood Oakes, and Beverage Director Ash Haussermann.
In this installment of the Women in Hospitality series, we chat with Jenn Engel, Chief Commercial Sales Officer (CCSO) of the Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), one of the leading wholesale beverage alcohol distributors in the country.
Engel is the first female CCSO in beverage alcohol wholesale distribution, and she is responsible for the commercial sales strategy, which supports critical business operations and provides overall direction of the commercial sales teams. Prior to joining RNDC, Engel was the Vice President of Sales and Board of Directors member for SM-USA.
Engel holds a degree in Flavor Chemistry and recently graduated from Harvard University with a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. She is also a Certified Sommelier with the Guild of Sommeliers and a Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators.
We spoke with Engel abut RNDC's efforts to support women, as well as what the industry can do to uplift and support women year-round. Read the full Q&A below!
Tell our readers more about RNDC’s Powered by Women campaign.
"Powered by Women" is our most recent initiative to support rising females in the industry with a mentorship program and scholarship contributions during Women’s History Month. To do so, we’ve partnered with Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation (WOTVS), which provides scholarships to help women advance in the food, wine, spirits, beer and hospitality industries through education, leadership, and professional development.
Scholarship funds are raised through an innovative non-fungible token (NFT) auction. Our custom-made digital collectibles are designed by artist Chelsy Escalona and honor three female pioneers in the wine and spirits industry: Fawn Weaver, CEO and Founder of Uncle Nearest; Heidi Scheid, EVP at Scheid Family Wines; and Elisa Gutiérrez, Vice President of Operations at Casa Herradura.
The highest bidder of each NFT will receive a mentorship experience with the NFT’s pioneer muse, along with a signed bottle from their brand and the digital collectible. A free version of the digital collectible series is also available to the public through the end of March, exclusively through Zelus Wallet. For every free collectible claimed, RNDC is donating $5, up to $10,000, to the WOTVS Foundation.
What is RNDC doing beyond Women’s History Month to ignite change within the industry?
Our goal is to set an example for others in the industry when it comes to creating an inclusive workplace that fosters a sense of belonging. Celebrating diversity, in all forms, has helped us create an unparalleled workplace experience that values unique backgrounds, skills, and perspectives.
We’re proud to showcase this commitment to diversity through our Women’s Leadership Forum, a program designed to help develop women leaders in the company. The forum provides exceptional professional development and networking opportunities to support our team members’ continued career advancement.
Outside of Women’s History Month, we continue to provide our associates with year-round programming from WOTVS. Thanks to our corporate partnership with WOTVS, our associates have an additional space to discuss diverse perspectives and challenge the status quo within our industry.
Do you have any suggestions for how the industry can do a better job of attracting and retaining diverse talent?
As the BevAlc industry aims to innovate and meet consumer demands, it’s crucial to recruit diverse talent that can bring different voices to the decision-making table. We’ve strategically sought out team members from other industries so that we can utilize their outside perspectives and challenge the current status quo. This type of diversification creates a sense of belonging for females and minorities, increasing retention rates and making it easier to attract diverse talent going forward.
At RNDC, we believe that the benefits of diversification don’t stop with recruiting. Welcoming different perspectives has enabled us to understand different consumer habits and challenged us to think critically about the way we sell products. The more diverse our workforce becomes, the more we’re able to connect with our different consumers.
Do you have any recommendations for how other companies in the BevAlc industry can support and uplift women year-round?
At RNDC, we amplify female voices year-round, not just during Women’s History Month. We’ve worked to promote and champion women at all levels of the company, including representation at the decision-making table. We’ve created internal mentorship programs to help our team members advance within the BevAlc space, encouraging them to take on roles that matter to them. We’ve also expanded our female representation across our leadership team because we believe that change starts at the top. Our leadership team encourages women within their departments to take on new responsibilities and rise to the occasion. We need to celebrate and shine a light on successful female leaders whenever possible. It’s the idea that "you have to see it to be it."
Plan to Attend the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 18-20, 2024
To learn about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend or participate in the annual Bar & Restaurant Expo. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com for details.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the next Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello (for companies A to G) e: [email protected] p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz (for companies H to Q) e: [email protected] p: 917-258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh (for companies R to Z) e: [email protected] p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.