TKG Advisory Council
View the bios of the Advisory Council members in PDF format:
TKG Advisory Council (213 KB)
Head Office
Gordon Haist
Vice-President/General Manager
Gord has devoted the last 28 years of his career to the beverage alcohol industry, 21 of those with Seagram. Following the sale of Seagram, Gord joined Mark Anthony Brands. He has experience in all major Canadian markets and has held senior management responsibility for the sales and marketing of a full portfolio of brands from all categories.
E-mail: ghaist@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 22
Peter Kirkwood
Logistics and Business Development
Peter has more than eight years' experience with The Kirkwood Group. Four years were spent in the field as a sales representative in Ontario, and in 2004 he joined head office to work on a national level on inventory management, pricing and as the liaison between marketing and sales, to further develop our merchandising efforts.
E-mail: pkirkwood@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 27
Russell Sandham
Director of Marketing, Wines/New Business Development
Russell has 27 years' beverage alcohol industry experience and has special expertise in wines and scotch whisky. He spent eight years in sales for Chateau des Charmes, one of Canada's prestige winemakers, and 10 years with UDV Canada (now Diageo Canada) before helping to form The Kirkwood Group.
E-mail: rsandham@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 23
Holly Wyatt
Director of Marketing, Beers, Spirits & RTDs
Holly has a combination of beverage alcohol and advertising agency industry experience. She was most recently responsible for the brown spirits portfolio at Maxxium Canada, with Canadian Club, The Macallan, and Remy Martin being a few of her brands. Before this she was responsible for the imported spirits business at Seagram Canada, working on ABSOLUT Vodka, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet. She was also responsible for the media campaigns for Captain Morgan Rum and Crown Royal whisky. Holly has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in marketing, and a Graduate degree in business.
E-mail: hwyatt@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 24
Mike McVean
Marketing Communications
Mike has been working in consumer and trade communications since 1977. In years spent as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor and publisher, graphic designer and Director of Publishing Services for Southam's business press division, he has honed his ability to deliver the right message - on target. Mike joined Brian and Russell to help form The Kirkwood Group.
E-mail: mmcvean@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 25
Sam Stephenson
Finance Manager
With TKG since 2001, Sam has more than 18 years' experience in finance, previously working with Pepsi Canada, where she implemented many comprehensive programs to track costs for the company. Sam is the key financial contact for our suppliers to track orders, payments and budget control, aside from P&L responsibilities for TKG.
E-mail: sstephenson@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 21
Anita Mikaelian
Brand Manager, Casella Wines
Working in the beverage alcohol industry since 2001, Anita joined The Kirkwood Group in 2010. Her industry experience began at the LCBO head-office. She then moved to the Ready-To-Drink portfolio at Independent Distillers, and the wine portfolio at Corby Distilleries. Anita has an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto, Marketing Management diploma from Ryerson University, and has successfully completed the Intermediate Level 2 WSET Program in Wine and Spirits.
E-mail: amikaelian@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 26
Maria Pinet
Brand Manager
Maria joined TKG's management team in 2011, bringing with her more than seven years’ marketing experience from several industries, including beverage alcohol, hospitality and manufacturing. Prior to joining TKG she was with Beam Global Canada, where she worked within the management team on the Tequilas and Vodkas.
E-mail: mpinet@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 x134
Regional Management (From West to East)
Toni Backstrom
Assistant Brand Manager, Wines and Office Manager
Toni joined TKG's management team in 2006, bringing with her a wealth of more than 20 years' sales and marketing experience from several industries, including beverage alcohol, communications, IT and entertainment. Prior to joining TKG she was with Mark Anthony Brands, where she worked within the management team on the wines, beers and RTD portfolios.
E-mail: tbackstrom@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 x20
Karen Lockhart
Assistant Brand Manager, Beers, Spirits & RTDs
Karen joined TKG in October of 2008. She brings 20 years' experience in the beverage alcohol industry, most of those with Maxxium Canada. Most recently, Karen managed some of that company's third-party wine brands in Ontario, including Maison Louis Latour, Lurton and Maison Brotte.
E-mail: klockhart@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 29
Regional Management (From West to East)
George Angelopulos
British Columbia Sales Manager
George has 25 years of beverage alcohol industry experience, including 18 years with Seagram Canada. Over these 20 years he has worked in various roles including District Manager, Western Canada Marketing Manager, and B.C. On-Premise Manager.
E-mail: gangelopulos@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 604-607-4776
Jason Park
Alberta Sales Manager
Jason has 12 years of beverage alcohol experience, including more than 10 years with Andrew Peller Ltd., working in both the B.C. and Alberta markets. As Western Canadian Key Accounts Manager, Jason has built strong relationships, and has experience in both the retail and licensee channels.
E-mail: jpark@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 780-982-1222
Dave Houston
Saskatchewan Sales Manager
David has 14 years’ experience in the beverage alcohol industry in Canada, working in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia. He has been involved in the Saskatchewan Wine and Spirits Association as Northern Director.
E-mail: dhouston@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 306-291-4222
Fredrik Bergstrom
Manitoba Sales Manager
Fredrik has 15 years’ experience in the beverage alcohol industry, both in Europe and in Canada. He has been working in central Canada for the past eight years, building strong relationships with all industry distribution channels. Fredrik is past president of the Manitoba Wine and Spirit Association, and he is also a member of the steering committee for the Winnipeg Wine Festival, Canada’s largest consumer wine show.
E-mail: fbergstrom@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 204-295-0413
Chris Faubert
Ontario Sales Manager
Chris joined TKG from Lindt & Sprungli, the world famous chocolatier. He has worked for a number of 3rd-party sales and marketing organizations, including Consumer Impact Marketing. He and his team handled the confectionary portfolio of Kraft Foods.
E-mail: cfaubert@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 905-849-4346 ext. 32
Sylvia Thaemlitz
Quebec President, Mosaiq
Before joining Mosaiq, since 1994, Sylvia was Marketing Director of Canadian and Scotch whiskies for Seagram Canada. She joined Seagram in 1990 as Marketing Director for Wines (Barton & Guestier, Mumm, Sterling and Sandeman)
E-mail: sylvia@mosaiq.ca
Phone: 514 696-1433
Andrew Armstrong
Atlantic Canada Sales Manager
Andy has 20+ years of experience including 17 years in the beverage alcohol industry. His extensive industry experience includes the roles of General Manager, Atlantic Canada, and Regional Sales Manager for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta at Seagram Canada and Nova Scotia Sales Manager for Molson Canada.
E-mail: aarmstrong@thekirkwoodgroup.com
Phone: 902-462-1256