Republic National Distributing Company partners with Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation to support rising females in the industry with mentorship program and scholarship contributions during Women’s History Month
Grand Prairie, Texas, March 1, 2023—Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), one of the top beverage alcohol distributors in the nation, kicks off Women’s History Month with “Powered by Women,” a campaign honoring female pioneers in the wine and spirits industry.
As part of “Powered by Women,” RNDC is partnering with Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation (WOTVS), which provides scholarships for the purpose of helping women advance their careers in the food, wine, spirits, beer and hospitality industries through education, leadership and professional development.
“We’re proud of recent strides the BevAlc industry has made to expand and promote the variety of voices that make up our industry,” said Jenn Engel, RNDC’s Chief Commercial Sales Officer and the first female CCSO in the beverage alcohol wholesale industry. “Our ‘Powered by Women’ campaign represents another step toward investing in, uplifting and amplifying strong female voices within this space.”
Scholarship funds will be raised through an innovative non-fungible token (NFT) auction. Throughout the month of March, RNDC will auction off custom-made digital collectibles, designed by digital artist Chelsy Escalona. Escalona’s “Powered by Women” collection honors 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. Free versions of each digital collectible will be available to the public for a limited time, exclusively through Zelus Wallet. For every free collectible claimed, RNDC will donate $5, up to $10,000, to the WOTVS Foundation.
“In recent years, the beverage alcohol industry has gained ground in attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and supporting women all the way to the C-suite,” said Jessica Schilling, RNDC Chief Human Resources Officer and EVP. “At RNDC, we have focused on developing and recruiting top talent to build an increasingly diverse team, expanding the representation of women amongst our executive leadership. While we have a long way to go on our journey, we’re intentionally working to ensure RNDC’s workforce is inclusive and representative.”
RNDC has designed internal programs to promote gender diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Its Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF) provides professional development and networking opportunities to support career advancement for female leaders. RNDC also launched Powered by Women – A Toast to Women-Led Brands, a cocktail book that takes a look back at some of the pioneering female bartenders and their contributions, along with modern-day influencers who continue to pave the way.
Click here to access RNDC leader bios, logos and other resources.
Click here to enter the Powered by Women NFT auction.
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About Republic National Distributing Company
As a top beverage alcohol distributor in the nation, RNDC’s national reach helps suppliers by building strategic relationships with on- and off-premise customers to elevate their brands and reach their target consumers. RNDC currently operates in the District of Columbia and 38 states across the United States. To learn more, visit www.rndc-usa.com
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