Vintage Wine Estates' Kathy DeVillers wins 2019 North Bay CFO award

Kathy DeVillers, chief financial officer of Vintage Wine Estates Inc., based in Santa Rosa, is one of North Bay Business Journal's CFO Recognition Awards winners for 2019.

Education: Graduate of California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo; MBA coursework at Wayne State

How has the current economic environment changed how you carry out your job at your current employer?

VWE's portfolio is balanced in such a way that we have been able to manage through the good and not so great economic times. Cash flow remains a focus.

What are the two key challenges your industry faces?

Distributor consolidations, shifting direct to consumer dynamics and cost of supply.

Tell us about a recent success your company has had.

We are very excited about alternative packaging trends in the wine industry. We recently acquired one of the pioneering producers of wine in cans, Alloy Wine Company and are introducing a range of If You See Kay brand canned wine.

We also launched a new wine cocktail called GAZE, packaged in resealable, recyclable aluminum bottles. GAZE combines California Moscato with trending ingredients such as Coconut Water and Blueberry and Pomegranate. It's refreshing, lower in alcohol and calories and we believe our timing is right to make it a big hit.

What advice would you give to young emerging financial leaders?

Stay focused on the goal at hand with an eye toward how your current experiences will help you to achieve your longer term goals.

How do you think your business will change in the next five years?

Continued shift toward Private Label in the broad market, increased competition in the alternative packaging area and shifts in how to communicate with, entertain and sell to directly to the consumer.

What is a decision you wish you hadn't made? What did you learn from it?

I don't really have a specific professional decision that I wish I hadn't made. Having said that, every major decision has worked out in different ways. The key is to learn from those experiences and adjust accordingly.

What is your most memorable business experience?

Being responsible for the finances of a company that was in severe financial distress. It was the most challenging time in my career (so far) but was also a time when I learned a tremendous amount and helped to develop me into what I am today.

What is your greatest business success?

Maintaining a Finance, IT and HR team at the financially distressed company. The team maintained focus, worked through the day to day challenges in a professional manner and managed to keep an amazing attitude.

What was your toughest business decision?

Creating a work-out plan and determining how to best execute the plan.

What would your friends and family be surprised to find out about you?

Not much, I am who I am!

Tell us about your community involvement activities.

Prior member of board focused on the care and support of Foster Care children in the community. Continued involvement in the Foster Care.