Corporate sponsorship, community involvement and educational excellence are all important charitable concerns at Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois, according to Will Conniff, Executive Vice President, General Manager of Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois and Kentucky, which are divisions of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., the country’s leading wine and spirits distributor with a tradition of service since 1968. 

I.      Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois and 2010 Chicago Gourmet Festival

In September 2010, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois continued its sponsorship of the third annual Chicago Gourmet, A Celebration of Food and Wine, as the event’s exclusive wine and spirits sponsor.

Held on September 25-26, 2010, in collaboration with the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA) and chaired by The Honorable Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago, Chicago Gourmet featured two days of exciting culinary and sensory diversity, all held within the breathtaking Millennium Park,” said Sheila O’Grady, President of the Illinois Restaurant Association. She noted that Chicago Gourmet featured the highest quality wines and spirits along with some of the city, state and region’s best chefs, cookbook authors and sommeliers—as well as many local and national culinary experts. Chicago Gourmet organizers and sponsors welcomed thousands of in- and out-of-state discerning consumers to attend the two-day event on Lake Michigan.

Mr. Conniff said, “Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois is extremely honored to be once again collaborating with the Illinois Restaurant Association and Mayor Daley for the 2010 edition of Chicago Gourmet. In particular, our ongoing relationship with the Illinois Restaurant Association and Gourmet Chicago is a clear reflection of our commitment to the importance of the restaurant and hospitality business in Chicago and throughout the great State of Illinois.”

Mr. Conniff added, “During the 2010 event, we are also proud to be participating in a number of exciting charitable auctions, the proceeds from which will support the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (IRAEF). Their mission is to build Illinois' hospitality workforce through career exploration and development programs, scholarships and image enhancement.”

Mary F. Barranco, National Director of Education, Southern Wine & Spirits of America said, “We are thrilled that as part of the overall program at Chicago Gourmet, and our Master Sommelier, Serafin Alvarado, and our Master Mixologist, Bridget Albert, participated in a number of the many educational events for interested consumers. Chicago Gourmet included seminars addressing the finer points of appreciating wine and spirits, the latest trends in the food and beverage industry, great wine and food pairing ideas, and the hottest new cocktail recipes. And we are especially pleased that proceeds from these events will benefit a variety of the hospitality industry charities across Illinois.”

Mr. Conniff concluded, "On behalf of Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois, I would like to thank Chicago Gourmet, the Illinois Restaurant Association and the Mayor’s Office in Chicago.”  

For more information about Chicago Gourmet, scheduled for September 23-25, 2011, please log onto: www.chicagogourmet.org.

II.     Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois and the Illinois Restaurant Association’s SERVSAFE Alcohol Awareness Program

Since spring 2009, when Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois entered into a partnership with the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA) and SERVSAFE Alcohol, a division of the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the Company continues through 2010 to support efforts to raise server alcohol awareness training in   restaurants, bars, nightclubs and hotels that comprise the hospitality trade.
The SERVSAFE certificate program, according to the NRA, was developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to raise the bar in responsible alcohol service training and certification. The SERVSAFE program offers real-world training solutions, as well as practical knowledge and best-in-class resources that seek to prepare and protect hospitality operations across the state, according to the NRAEF. To date, SERVSAFE has trained 10 Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois employees as certified instructors. The SERVSAFE curriculum and certificate program is recognized under the regulations of State of Illinois Liquor Control Commission’s Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training (BASSET) program.

Ms. Barranco said, “To help promote the SERVSAFE Alcohol training program, our Education team at Southern is distributing promotional information to our sales representatives to distribute as widely as possible.  We continue to offer on-site training and quarterly public courses which will be posted on our website, as well.”

For more information on SERVSAFE, please log onto: www.southernwine.com/OfficesNationwide/Illinois/ILHome/tabid/147/Default.aspx or www.servsafe.org

III.     Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois and New Leaders for New Schools
Continuing its support that started in early 2009, the Company in 2010 selected a local, non-profit educational group, New Leaders for New Schools, where Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois has committed to a three-year (minimum) sponsorship of its annual fall fundraising gala.  Below is an excerpt from Mr. Conniff’s memo to the Company’s Division Team Members announcing this partnership. Mr. Conniff said, “We consider it a privilege to do business in the State of Illinois and in continuing our efforts to give back elected to support and fundraise on behalf of New Leaders for New Schools.”  The Company participated in October 8, 2010 New Leaders for New Schools’ Annual Gala Fundraiser at Chicago’s Sheraton Towers Hotel. Earlier, in August 2010, the Company also hosted a “New Leaders for New Schools Warehouse/Delivery Golf Outing” at Tamarack Golf Club, Naperville, Illinois, with all proceeds donated to the New Leaders for New Schools non-profit organization, according to Yvonne Mug, Director, Human Resources, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois.

New Leaders for New Schools was formed to attract and prepare outstanding leaders to become urban school principals.  Their goal is to provide every student the opportunity to attain academic excellence by training principals to coach and inspire teachers, parents, families and the communities they serve.” For more information, log onto: www.nlns.org

IV. Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois and Haiti Relief Effort

In January 2010, responding generously to a Company-wide request from Harvey R. Chaplin, Southern Wine & Spirit of America’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Wayne E. Chaplin, Southern’s President and Chief Operating Officer, executives and team members of Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois donated nearly $9,000 to assist in the United States and international governments, non-governmental agencies and individuals the world over to send assistance to the Haiti Relief Effort, with help from the American Red Cross International Response Fund which helped to channel the donations to deserving groups and individuals on the island.

According to Mr. Conniff, these above-noted charitable and community service activities are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the Company’s activities across Illinois. In addition, here are a number of other groups receiving Southern’s support in 2010:

AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Best Buddies
Northwestern Medical School
Special Olympics Illinois
Chicago International Film Festival
Make A Wish Foundation
Meals on Wheels
Washburn Culinary Institute

Last, but not least, the Company each year participates in a program during the holiday season, during which Southern team members donate goods or money to local charities, the programs vary from year to year.