Faculty & Research
Featured Advisory Board Member: James Allen
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James Allen |
In 1970, James (Jim) Allen, a Michigan native, moved to Florida, where he held multiple positions within the food and beverage industry.
Jim found his avocation in wine, and pursued this avenue of study, building his bank of knowledge. He began his career at Southern Wine & Spirits (SWS) of America, Inc., now the nation's largest distributor of wines and spirits, when he joined SWS of Florida in 1978. His drive for excellence resulted in his establishment of a highly successful on-premises division.
His career with SWS of Florida progressed to SWS of Southern California, where he held the position of Vice President and General Manager and enjoyed growth and expansion of the business. Building on previous successes, his talents were then utilized at SWS of Hawaii, where he formed a first-rate sales staff and powerhouse distributor network.
After managing the Colorado division of SWS, as Executive Vice President and General Manager, Jim was named Executive Vice President/General Manager-Wines of Southern Wine & Spirits of New York in January 2005. In his latest role, Jim oversees all facets of the wine operation in the state and is an integral part of the SWS executive team.
Helping his employees realize their dreams and aspirations drives Jim. He continues his years of service in the industry for the excitement, diversity, new ideas, and challenges that continually motivate him.