Southern Glazer’s announces the death of its president

Southern Glazer’s has announced the death of its president, Harvey Chaplin, at the age of 95.

In an obituary, the company, which is one of the world’s largest alcohol distributors, said Chaplin had been “one of the most influential and famous figures in the wine and wine industry.” spirits”.

Chaplin was born in 1929 in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. By the time he graduated from Brooklyn Boy’s High School, he had already begun his career in the wine and spirits industry, landing a part-time position in the mailroom at Schenley Industries and working his way up to management wholesale operations.

In 1969, he joined Southern Wine, alongside other founding directors. He held numerous executive positions directing Southern’s day-to-day operations from 1969 to 1993, and in 1994 he became president and CEO. He became president of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in July 2016, following the historic combination of Southern Wine and Glazer’s Distributing. Today, Southern Glazer’s remains privately owned and is the largest distributor of alcoholic beverages in North America.

Chaplin’s vision was to create a national footprint to increase the value a wholesaler could offer to suppliers and customers. His work has fueled the growth of the company, which now operates in 45 U.S. markets as well as Canada. His son, Wayne Chaplin, became CEO of the company and took over day-to-day management of the business, but Henry Chaplin remained “deeply involved in the business,” the notice said.

Wayne E. Chaplin, CEO of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, said, “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved father, Harvey Chaplin, founder and chairman of our company and one icons of our industry.

“His influence as a leader, philanthropist, loving family man and patriarch of our family left an indelible mark on all who knew and worked with him. He was a larger than life figure and will be greatly missed by my family and our entire Southern Glazer team.

Bennett Glazer, executive vice president of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, said, “Harvey and I shared a mutual dedication to family, a commitment to our communities and an investment in people as a foundation for business success. I am proud to have had him as a colleague and friend, and I join the entire Southern Glazer team in mourning his loss.

“On behalf of the entire management team, I express our sympathies to his family, who meant the world to him.”

Mr. Chaplin is survived by his wife, Roberta; his first wife Arlene died in 2000, with whom he had three children, Paul (Karen); Wayne (Arlene) and Terry (Fred); and 9 grandchildren, Monica (Moises); Elizabeth (Evan); Katie (Spencer); David (Ashley); Jennifer (Sean); Marc (Carly); Scott (Zoe); Ryan (Lauren); and Tyler (Tatiana).

He is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made in the name of Harvey Chaplin at the Harvey R. Chaplin Family Stroke and Chest Pain Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center, or at the Harvey R. Chaplin Central Building at Temple Beth Shalom Miami Beach, Florida or at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University.