Celebrating accomplishments every day is something we should all be proud to do, August 26 is Women’s Equality Day – this date commemorates the 19th amendment, enabling women to exercise their right to vote, and celebrates achievements of women who are paving the way for future women.
HOSPITALITY/RESTAURANTS
Vivian Lopez-Blanco, Director – Board of Directors
Vivian Lopez-Blanco has served as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since July 2021. Ms. Lopez-Blanco also serves on the board of Jumptuit Health, Inc. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Lopez-Blanco served as an advisory board member of BBVA, South Florida operations, from 2019 until June 2021, Chief Financial Officer of Mednax, Inc. (NYSE: MD) from 2010 until 2018, Vice President and Treasurer of Mednax, Inc. from 2008 to 2010 and Chief Financial Officer of Carrols Corporation’s Hispanic Restaurants Division, which includes the Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana concepts, from 2003 to 2008. Ms. Lopez-Blanco joined Pollo Tropical in 1997 as Controller and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 1998 and led the company through its acquisition by Carrols Corporation, developed and realigned key business processes and implemented several financial systems. Earlier in her career, Ms. Lopez-Blanco spent years in an international accounting firm where she progressed through different management roles and gained extensive experience in public company reporting and capital market expansions. Ms. Lopez-Blanco earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida International University and is a certified public accountant.
Cristina Schenk, Chief Executive Officer
Prior to CEO, Cristina Schenk was the controller for Merriman’s Hawaii and started at the company in 2014. During Schenk’s tenure, Merriman’s grew from a $19 million to almost $31 million in annual revenue and early last year, Schenk was appointed to chief executive officer. Schenk joins just 15.9% of female CEOs in the food industry. Schenk’s appointment came just as COVID-19 began shutting down the country and two weeks later, Hawaii issued a stay-at-home mandate. Since then, Schenk has navigated these unprecedented waters with integrity, transparency, and poise, proving how strategic and nimble she is. Schenk managed the successful reopening of all Merriman’s restaurants with innovative concepts to fit today’s dining needs, no small feat especially with teams across all the Islands and different safety protocols on each Island.
Marine Galy, Co-founder
Marine was born and raised in Cannes, South of France. While growing up near Grasse, surrounded by jasmine, rose and mimosa fields, she developed very early a passion about scents and how far they can connect, create, and inspire memories, feelings and people. After graduating with a Business Strategy Masters, she moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she began her 10-year career and journey with one of the top global Fragrance Houses, which will then take her to work in Europe, NYC and Los Angeles through the years as a fragrance project developer. In 2017, after she gave birth to her first baby, she decided to take a 360 turn in her career and started a new journey by adding her strengths and skills to her husband Greg’s career in hospitality. Embracing the magic idea of transporting the guests as soon as they step in the restaurant and keep them traveling away from home, Marine creates MILA’s olfactive signature where incense, yuzu, patchouli, suede blend harmoniously while creating a unique scent, which has become fully part of MILA’s DNA.
SPIRITS
Jassil Villanueva Quintana, Maestra Ronera for Brugal 1888
Jassil Villanueva Quintana is a fifth-generation descendant of Andrés Brugal Montaner and the first woman to become a Maestra Ronera for Brugal 1888, a premium rum produced in the Dominican Republic. Jassil, along with the current Maestro Ronero, created Brugal 1888 in honor of their ancestors’ innovation and long-established goal to create quality rum using the skills and expertise passed down through five generations of the Brugal family. In addition to being the first Maestra Ronera for Brugal 1888, Jassil is also currently the youngest Master of Rum in the industry.
Jennifer Locke, Chief Executive Officer
With extensive global experience in the fine wine sector, Jen Locke joined Crimson Wine Group as Chief Executive Officer in 2019. Bringing inspirational leadership skills and an industry-wide reputation for delivering results, Jen leads high-performing teams in a collaborative and innovative style that has yielded positive results for the company. Crimson Wine Group’s leadership team also boasts a larger ratio of females to males in leadership roles.
