Chris Sellers Email & Phone Number

Florida, United States

Orlando, Florida, United States

United States

Asheville, North Carolina, United States

Fletcher, North Carolina, United States

Co-Founder and Board Member of a technology disruptor in the global brand in the craft spirits category. Prost Beverage Co. merged in 2021 with Two Trees Distilling Company and RF Kettle. Two Trees has a tasting room in Fletcher, NC, and brands such as Tim Smith Spirits- Climax Spirits and Southern Reserve, Two Trees Whiskey and Vodka, Two Trees flavored whiskey portfolio, plus the Two Trees folklore brand series.As the first investor in this craft spirits start-up, I saw… Show more Co-Founder and Board Member of a technology disruptor in the global brand in the craft spirits category. Prost Beverage Co. merged in 2021 with Two Trees Distilling Company and RF Kettle. Two Trees has a tasting room in Fletcher, NC, and brands such as Tim Smith Spirits- Climax Spirits and Southern Reserve, Two Trees Whiskey and Vodka, Two Trees flavored whiskey portfolio, plus the Two Trees folklore brand series.As the first investor in this craft spirits start-up, I saw the opportunity to disrupt the status quo and use technology to create distinctive spirits that matched old-world methods and become a significant player in the early-stage craft spirits industry. Two Trees offers rapid-aging on a contract basis, addressing consumer demand for premium products and improving speedto-market for retailers and manufacturers while reducing the industry’s dependency on wood supply, thus addressing sustainability.During my tenure as President and Board Member, I have been able to accomplish the following:• Starting from zero, grow a business that in 18 months post capitalization was able to cash flow operations.• Found external marketing partners, such as the Discovery Channel, the Moonshiners show producers, and Tim Smith, the lead talent, and licensing companies.• Spearheaded distribution into 40 states by developing relationships with major spirit distributors and national accounts, such as Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits, Republic National Distributing, Wal-Mart, and Total Wine.• Participated in Raising $6 million in a Series A funding round and merged 5 operating companies valued at $22M post Series A.• Participated in securing patents for new, innovative distilling technology that allows approximately 20 barrels of aged product to be produced per day. Show less

Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

Developed sales and marketing strategies for an $80 million beer/beverage distributor.Oversaw a sales team of 120 individuals, servicing 600 retail accounts in a one-hundred-square-mile territory. Financial Impact & Revenue Generation:-Grew revenues by 60% over 10 years.-Increased market share from 53% to 71% over 10 years in a highly competitive market.-Expanded annual unit/case sales growth by over 42% to 4M cases.-Launched 400+ new products, 15+ supply chain… Show more Developed sales and marketing strategies for an $80 million beer/beverage distributor.Oversaw a sales team of 120 individuals, servicing 600 retail accounts in a one-hundred-square-mile territory. Financial Impact & Revenue Generation:-Grew revenues by 60% over 10 years.-Increased market share from 53% to 71% over 10 years in a highly competitive market.-Expanded annual unit/case sales growth by over 42% to 4M cases.-Launched 400+ new products, 15+ supply chain partners, generating $65M in cumulative revenue and 3M in profitability.-Negotiated $3.8M distribution rights for Modelo brands, resulting in increasing sales 167% over 4 years and debt payoff 2 years early.Business Planning & Development:Development of a 5-year business plan model for Southern Eagle Distributing and additional small to mid-size distributors. The elements included:-Technology in supply chain management.-Local distributor adaptation through supplier consolidation.-Product lifecycle evaluation, including supplier support, wholesaler sell-through, and inventory turnover.-Strategic alliances and joint ventures.Supply Chain Management:-Extensive knowledge of national and global supply chain corporations, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Constellation (Corona), North American Breweries, Hansen’s, Nestle, Wal Mart, Publix Supermarkets, 7-11, Circle K, CVS, and Walgreens.-Increased accuracy of product ordering and other efficiency improvements through developing a comprehensive logistics system integrating sales, delivery, warehouse, and IT departments.Employee Performance & Motivation:-Designed a sales/marketing compensation program with aggressive metrics tied to performance and revenue building.-Changed front-line sales personnel and management behavior to focus on “build your business,” such as selling skills enhancement, invoice building, and SKUs sold. Show less

Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

• Led revenue growth of 40%, managing the evolution of Anheuser-Busch and Corona licensed apparel clothing manufacturer shipping product nationally focusing on marketing strategies and sales presentations to accounts including Anheuser-Busch, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, Pamida Stores, 7-11, and Spencer’s Gifts• Supervised 8 production team members • Negotiated the successful merger and transfer of the organization