The Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association (MB&WWA) in Lansing has elected new executive officers and at-large directors. This leadership team will guide the MB&WWA over the next two years, continuing its efforts to support Michigan’s beer and wine distributors and drive the industry forward.
Joanie O’Sullivan-Butler, president and CEO of John P. O’Sullivan Distributing in Holly, was elected chair of the MB&WWA Board of Directors. She is the third woman to chair the association and the first since 2008. O’Sullivan-Butler succeeds A.J. Mathews, president of West Side Beer Distributing in Romulus, who served two years as chair. Lew Cooper III, co-CEO of Great Lakes Wine & Spirits in Highland Park, was elected vice chair. Jim Permesang, general manager of Mervenne Beverage in Holland, and Jamie Warbritton, wine purchaser and vice president of transportation at Rave Associates in Ann Arbor, were elected to at-large director positions.
Permesang and Warbritton join Larry Cekola, chief relationships officer at Imperial Beverage Co. in Kalamazoo, James C. Fabiano II, CEO of Fabiano Brothers Inc. in Bay City; Shannon Gary, vice president of operations at Alliance Beverage Distributing in Grand Rapids; Jason Howard, general manager of I.H.S. Distributing Co. in Kalamazoo; Kit Wanty-Lambert, president of O&W Inc. in Ypsilanti; and Jeff Quasarano, vice president of Eastown Distributors Co. in Highland Park.
“I want to thank A.J. Mathews for his leadership and dedication over the past two years,” O’Sullivan-Butler says. “It’s a true honor to be the third woman to serve as chair of the MB&WWA Board of Directors. I’m committed to building on the association’s strong foundation, amplifying our advocacy, supporting our members, and ensuring Michigan’s beer and wine distributors remain a driving force in our state’s economy.”
As the MB&WWA moves forward with newly elected leadership, its officials say they remain committed to representing Michigan’s independent, locally owned beer and wine distributors and advancing their advocacy on legislative, regulatory, legal, and public policy matters.
