WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/09/2020 – Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) is proud to announce that former WSWA Chairman and current Executive Vice President with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Barkley Stuart, is the recipient of this year’s WSWA Women’s Leadership Council’s (WLC) Icon Award.
This honor recognizes Stuart for his courageous advocacy work to advance women in the wholesale tier and empower women and men to champion diversity in the wholesaler tier and beyond, as well as the importance of serving local communities with similar efforts.
“I am humbled and honored to be recognized for my efforts to increase diversity, specifically for women, in our industry,” commented Stuart. “This is a cause I have been passionate about my entire life, I am lucky to have the support of Southern Glazer’s leadership to focus on this work. I am particularly proud that SGWS believes that Diversity is a priority during a global pandemic rather than something that can be postponed. It has truly been a team effort and I look forward to pushing forward and continuing to drive real and measurable progress towards greater diversity in our industry.”
Stuart has spearheaded several recruitment and advancement efforts for women and minorities that aim to increase the diverse representation of people and ideas within WSWA member companies. One example is the Columbia Business School Women In Leadership program sponsored in partnership between SGWS and WSWA and now in its second year.
“On behalf of the WSWA Women’s Leadership Council, we are excited to honor Barkley Stuart as the recipient for this year’s WLC Icon Award,” said WLC Chairwoman Philana Bouvier. “He not only exemplifies what it means to be a true male ally, but also an individual that truly deserves praise for his dedication to advance women in leadership roles across the wholesale tier. Barkley made it his mission to find ways to encourage research and data driven metrics to determine where the wine and spirits wholesale industry stood compared to other industries in regard to diversity in the workplace and more specifically in leadership roles, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed. We appreciate and recognize the great commitment from Barkley and the example he continues to set for the future of wholesale ensuring a diverse workplace for all.”
The WSWA Women’s Leadership Council is comprised of leaders in the wholesale tier of the U.S. beverage alcohol industry. Its primary mission is to educate, elevate, and empower members, as well as industry leaders within the three-tier system, advancing women in the industry and providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and knowledge with peers.
About Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
WSWA is the national trade association representing the distribution tier of the wine and spirits industry, dedicated to advancing the interests and independence of distributors and brokers of wine and spirits. Founded in 1943, WSWA has more than 380 member companies in 50 states and the District of Columbia, and its members distribute more than 80 percent of all wine and spirits sold at wholesale in the United States.
To learn more, please visit www.wswa.org or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.
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