Speaker: Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin, Vice President, Family-Owned Brands – Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin is Vice President, Family-Owned Brands and East Region Trade Development Director for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol. In this role, Jennifer oversees supplier strategy and performance on a national and regional level for the many family-owned brands in Southern Glazer’s portfolio. Her responsibilities include strategic projects that drive commercial growth, including integrating suppliers with Southern Glazer’s consumer, trade and Proof® eCommerce platforms.
Prior to this role, Jennifer held the role of National Director, Aperol Strategy and Director, Supplier Management & Business Development. Before that, she held the position of Communications and Events Manager in the Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility Department, working alongside the events team supporting corporate events, as well as the Southern Glazer’s social media team, helping build the Company’s following and expanding engagement with strategic suppliers.
Since joining the Company, Jennifer has been a diversity and inclusion advocate, championing programs to advance women at both the Company and in the industry. One such program is the Southern Glazer’s and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Women In Leadership program, in partnership with Columbia Business School. The program is designed to help elevate the impact of women leaders – enabling them to navigate the business landscape, develop and leverage their talents, and step into roles of greater influence with a focus on the advancement of women in the wine and spirits wholesale tier. Jennifer most recently helped found and launch EmpowHER, a program to impact a broader scale female employees at Southern Glazer’s. EmpowHERprovides access to professional development to an expanded group of mid-level executives who have significant upward growth potential. EmpowHER is also unique in that it recognizes the important role of male allies who have been invited to collaborate with and support participants in their career journeys. Jennifer currently serves as the Executive Sponsor of EmpowHER.
Prior to joining Southern Glazer’s, from June 2013 to February 2017 Jennifer worked as an Agent Trainee at William Morris Endeavor (WME), a leading global entertainment agency. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Tisch School of Arts at New York University. She graduated from Columbia Business School Executive Education in Women in Leadership.