Women In Beverage strong work ethic , professionalism , confidence , and strategic thinking . I made it a point to always raise my hand to volunteer for projects they were leading , champion their initiatives and respectfully ask them for their time .
I equally value mentoring those that ask the same of me . I ’ ve mentored and continue to mentor many women and young men in our business .
I always seek talent and when I find it , I will champion them by giving them strategic advice and connecting them with other leaders to build network capital . Mentors and mentees are critical to success .
BA : Mentorship and sponsorship are important if you have a desire to learn and grow . It is key to find a mentor or sponsor that has already made all the mistakes , has had the successes and is willing to take you under their wing , share their insights , and connect you with a good network that will also support you .
You will still need to do the work . Keep your network active , be a good listener , and don ’ t be afraid to ask the hard questions .
I have been fortunate to be a mentor and a mentee in my career . It is important that as women we continue to help one another rise ! I feel proud to be a Southern Glazer ’ s family team member and to have the support of SGWS to launch Served Up — The Podcast with Julie [ Milroy ]. We are committed to continue to build a more diverse beverage community for all .
How has your company benefited from having women at the table making decisions ? JM : I ’ ve had the honor of working with many bold women leaders at SGWS . Since joining the company more than a decade ago , we ’ ve implemented many initiatives to empower women .
These include strong paid maternity and paternity leave policies , best-in-class leadership programs , and most recently , a national employee resource group , Caregivers CAN ( collaborate , advocate , navigate ), dedicated to advancing and supporting all caregivers .
Additionally , research has proven that women , at the table , making decisions , significantly improves the bottom line and drives high performance . This is the case at Southern Glazer ’ s and many other companies .
BA : It is no secret that the more diverse your table is , the more successful your company will be . As individuals , we bring our own experiences , knowledge , talents , skills , and bold ideas to the “ table .” When this is cultivated and appreciated in an equitable , diverse space , that is when the magic happens !
Who are your professional role models ? JM : I have so many professional role models that have continued to become my lifeline . They know who they are and it ’ s impossible to name them all .
BA : My dad , David , my Market-Fresh Mixology co-author Mary Barranco , Tony Abou-Ganim , Julie Milroy and my grandmother , Rosella .
Jennifer Burke
Jennifer Burke is director of retail operations for the Virginia ABC Authority .
How did you get into the beverage alcohol business ? Before joining the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority three years ago , I had spent most of my career working for large retailers such as Dollar General , Target , Radio Shack and Food Lion .
I was contemplating a move back to Virginia to be closer to my family when the Virginia ABC opportunity presented itself . While I had no experience in the distilled spirits industry , my previous successes in managing operations for large retail chains proved to be a good fit .
What makes you a successful leader ? In my 25-year career , I have learned that leadership is less about you and the decisions you make as a leader and more about the environment you create for your people . When they know they are a valuable member of the organization and feel included in decisions that impact them , they will be more successful in their work .
The more successful they are , the more successful I am as their leader . I ’ m fortunate to have an incredibly talented team who are committed to carrying out ABC ’ s mission , which is to generate a reliable stream of revenue for Virginia and promote public safety through the responsible sale and regulation of alcoholic beverages . In fact , for fiscal year 2020 , our 390-plus stores served approximately 35 million customers and generated more than $ 1.1 billion in sales — our most successful year yet !
How important is mentorship ? Did you receive any coming up , and do you provide it to women in your organization ? During my career , I have had the pleasure of mentoring many young women as well as men and have stayed in contact with many of them to this day . I encourage all my employees to mentor someone at least once in their personal and professional lives . It ’ s satisfying to watch someone grow professionally and develop into a courageous leader .
I believe mentoring begins at a young age . My husband and I share a Jennifer Burke love for baseball and often coach co-ed youth baseball teams together . This is a great opportunity for girls to learn leadership skills at a young age in the presence of males , well before they are in a professional setting where they may be in the minority .
How has your company benefited from having women at the table making decisions ? My team benefits directly from my understanding of the challenges that come with being a successful executive who has managed to balance personal and professional responsibilities . I take spending time with family and loved ones seriously and encourage my managers , many of which are women , to do the same . I have learned that the key to success personally and professionally is to work smarter , not harder .
Who are your professional role models ? I have always been impressed with the
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