Diageo Honors Drinks Distributors at 14th Annual Golden Bar Awards

NORWALK, Conn., Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, honored spirits and beer distributors at the 14^th Annual Golden Bar Awards, which took place recently in Las Vegas.  The Golden Bar Awards are presented to distributors demonstrating excellence in sales, marketing and promoting responsible drinking.

"The Golden Bar Awards are one way we are able to come together to show our appreciation for the hard work our distributors do all year long on behalf of our fine brands," said Tom Looney, President, US Spirits and Canada, Diageo North America. "At the Golden Bars we celebrate the successes of the previous year and look ahead to the coming year to discuss how we can work together to help our brands grow."

Tom Day, Diageo Global Sales Officer and Chairman, Diageo Beer Company, USA, reinforced the importance of the Golden Bar Awards: "The Diageo Beer Company had a defining year, and gained lots of exciting momentum.  We couldn't have achieved it in the ways that we did without the relationships with our distributors and their mutual commitment to the business.  These awards give us an opportunity to acknowledge their invaluable efforts." 

The Golden Bar Awards celebrate distributors across the U.S. for their excellence in the industry and the important role they play in their respective communities.  Awards are given in seven categories including On Premise Performance, Innovation and Social Responsibility, as well as Brand Excellence. The distinction of Distributor of the Year is also awarded for spirits and beer.

Additionally, Platinum Bar Awards are awarded to a distributor in each of the beer and spirits categories for advancing responsible drinking.

"Diageo places utmost importance on responsible drinking and combatting underage drinking. Our Platinum Bar Awards recognize those distributors who best support these critical initiatives within their own communities," said Jon Pageler, Executive Vice President, Diageo North America. 

In total, 26 Golden Bar statuettes, 24 made of 24 carat gold and two made of platinum, were awarded to distributors. Each statuette weighs eight pounds, stands more than a foot tall, and is produced by Society Awards, the company that produces The Emmy's®, presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Below are the categories and winners for the 2017 Golden Bar Awards.

DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Distributor of the Year - Spirits		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Florida
Distributor of the Year - Beer		Beechwood Distributors, Wisconsin
SPIRITS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Spirits Excellence - Smirnoff		National Distributing Company, Georgia
Spirits Excellence - Johnnie Walker		Martignetti Companies, Massachusetts
Spirits Excellence - Baileys		Martignetti Companies, Massachusetts
Spirits Excellence - Captain Morgan		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Florida
Spirits Excellence - Tanqueray		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Florida
Spirits Excellence - Crown Royal		Breakthru Beverage, United Division Washington D.C.
Spirits Excellence - Ketel One		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Washington
Spirits Excellence - Cîroc		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Washington
Spirits Excellence - Bulleit		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Hawaii
Spirits Excellence - Reserve Brands		Breakthru Beverage, United Division, Arizona
BEER EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Distributor of the Year - Guinness		Manhattan Beer Distributors, New York
Distributor of the Year - Smirnoff Ice		Clark Distributing Co., Kentucky
Guinness Quality Award		Burke Distributing Co., Massachusetts
Chain Executional Excellence		Southern Glazer's Coastal Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Texas
Executional Excellence		Harbor Distributing Llc., California
INNOVATION AWARDS
Innovation Launch - Spirits		Southern Glazer's Coastal - Pacific Wine & Spirits Division, Texas
Innovation Distributor of the Year - Beer		Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale, Pennsylvania
Innovation Distributor of the Year - FMB		L. Knife & Son, Massachusetts
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARDS
Advancing Responsible Drinking - Spirits		Coastal Pacific Wines And Spirits Broker, New Hampshire
Advancing Responsible Drinking - Beer		DBI Beverage, California
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
On Premise Excellence Award - Spirits		Breakthru Beverage, United Division, Maryland
Multicultural Excellence - Spirits		Breakthru Beverage, United Division, Colorado
Three Year Consistency - Spirits		Breakthru Beverage, United Division, Colorado
Three Year Consistency - Beer		J.J. Taylor Distributing, Florida

About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

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SOURCE Diageo

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