Chairwomen Profile

by KRYSTINA SKIBO

We recently interviewed Opici about her experience and goals for WSWA , and what it means for her to be appointed as the organization ’ s first Chairwoman .

BW : HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE APPOINTED AS THE FIRST CHAIRWOMAN OF WSWA ? DINA OPICI : It is an incredible honor , and I am extremely excited to serve as the

first Chairwoman of WSWA . But I ’ m only in this fortunate position because of the hard work , leadership and dedication of all the women in our industry – both today and those who came before me , like my grandmother , Rose Opici .

I had the pleasure of working with my grandmother , and she instilled in me the values that continue to guide me today – resilience , integrity and the importance of communication , both speaking and listening . My hope is to earn the respect of my colleagues by adding value in this role over the next twelve months , as ultimately , that is the responsibility of this position – regardless of gender .

BW : IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU THINK BEING APPOINTED CHAIRWOMAN WILL HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT ON THE INDUS- TRY REGARDING INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY ? DO : My vision as Chairwoman is clear – IT TAKES EVERYBODY ! Women bring

tremendous value to any industry – not because of gender but because we are good at what we do . My objective would be to encourage more women to get involved , both within their organizations as well as with WSWA , where the opportunities to engage in a meaningful way are limitless . Inclusivity and diversity thrive when everyone is focused on contributing their best and being open to the ideas of others , and I hope to continue to foster an environment where , regardless of one ’ s gender or back-ground , they feel empowered to excel .

BW : WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS HEADING INTO THE CHAIRMANSHIP ? DO : My primary goal is to get everyone engaged in the conversations that are

important to our in-dustry today – and there is no shortage of critical topics to address . I want to focus on enhancing the visibility and value of the distri- bution tier within the broader industry and build upon the valua-ble initiatives that have been established to encourage greater engagement with our member companies , like mentorship , leadership development and the sharing of knowledge . Every wholesaler in the U . S . should be a member of WSWA – as that will fuel diversity of thought , and the more voices , the stronger the message will be .

BW : HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS ? DO : Accomplishing these goals requires that we first work closely with all our members to understand their challenges and priorities , and second , ensure WSWA is providing the resources and support needed to overcome them . We must prioritize collaboration — both within the WSWA community and across the industry — because I believe this is a team sport , and if we are not work-ing together , we will not succeed .

BW : WHAT ARE SOME LESSONS YOU LEARNED AT OPICI FAMILY DISTRIBUTING THAT YOU PLAN ON BRINGING TO WSWA ? DO : The most important lesson I ’ ve

learned is that success in business comes down to people — taking care of them , listening to them and ensuring that they have the tools they need to succeed . That is at the core of our mission at Opici Family Distributing . I ’ ll be bringing that same mindset to WSWA , www . beveragewholesaler . com Winter 2024 • Bevearge Wholesaler 9