Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits promotes Lee Brian Schrager to Chief Communications Officer
Beverage alcohol distributor Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has promoted Lee Brian Schrager to the position of Chief Communications Officer, continuing to report to Chief Executive Officer Wayne E. Chaplin.
In his newly created role, Schrager will continue to oversee the company’s corporate communications functions, including public relations, employee communications, the company’s corporate website, as well as its Intranet-based communications. In addition, he will continue to oversee the in-house SG Creative services group, which has evolved to be the Company’s center of excellence for creative services, as well as his vital role overseeing many of Southern Glazer’s corporate social responsibility programs.
Schrager will also maintain his position as the Director of both the Food Network South Beach (SOBEWFF) and New York City Wine & Food Festivals (NYCWFF) presented by Capital One.
In his most recent position of Senior Vice President, Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, which he has held since 2016, Schrager has helped ‘significantly strengthen and expand’ the company’s communications capabilities. This includes the recent creation of SGWS Top Shelf PR, an internal agency that provides strategic public relations services to Southern Glazer’s suppliers. In addition, he helped to support the national expansion of Southern Glazer’s VolunCheers employee volunteering program in 2018, enabling it to evolve from a local program in Florida to one that has empowered employees across North America to complete tens of thousands of hours of volunteer activities.
Under his leadership, the signature South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals have raised nearly $50 million for their benefiting charities; as well as fundraising initiatives to support hospitality workers during the pandemic.
Mr. Schrager joined Southern Wine & Spirits in 2000, after being with a leading international hotel group for more than 15 years in various leadership capacities. He studied at the Culinary Institute of America and at the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Pérez Art Museum Miami and Board of Directors for Food Bank For New York City, as well as a judge for Forbes’ annual 30 Under 30 list and Celebrated Living’s annual Platinum List Awards. In 2011, Mr. Schrager commemorated the 10th anniversary of SOBEWFF with the release of his first book, Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook. Mr. Schrager’s second cookbook, Fried & True was released in May 2014 and third, America’s Best Breakfasts, in April 2016.
