News Alert: Dearie Departing SMWE, As Company Announces New Regional Presidents

Washington-based Ste. Michelle Wine Estates has announced a number of leadership changes this afternoon. David Dearie, previously president and CEO, is leaving the company to move closer to his family and pursue other interests.

With Dearie’s departure, the company has aligned itself into three commercial divisions: Washington, Oregon, and California, each supported by shared services.

Toby Whitmoyer will serve as President, Washington; Amy Prosenjak will serve as President, Oregon; and David Bowman will serve as President, California. Mike Lee will serve as Chief Financial Officer and President of Operations & Supply Chain. Whitmoyer, Prosenjak, Bowman, and Lee will each report directly to Ste. Michelle’s board of directors.

Whitmoyer joined SMWE earlier this year after more than a decade at Bacardi. Prosenjak was previously president and CEO at Oregon’s A to Z Wineworks, which was recently acquired by SMWE. And Bowman, a veteran of Jackson Family Wines, began leading SMWE’s California wineries such as Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Conn Creek, and Patz & Hall earlier this year. Acquired by New York-based Sycamore Partners last year for $1.2 billion, Ste. Michelle had U.S. volume of 7.1 million cases in 2021, according to Impact Databank, ranking ninth among all wine marketers in the U.S.—Daniel Marsteller

Tagged : Chateau Ste. Michelle

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