Bob Wojnar popped into my thoughts recently. Not only was he a great friend, he also enjoyed a distinguished career in the wine industry having worked for Wine Merchants, Gallo Wines, Canandaigua Wine Company, and Heron Hill. Additionally, he was the national sales manager at Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery. Bob was also a member of the Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty board – an organization dedicated to educating consumers on locally produced food and beverages. For 16 years he shared his expertise and history of the Finger Lakes wine region via an Introduction to Wine Class at Cayuga Community College. He was also instrumental in assisting me with the development of my “Wine Made Easy” education curriculum. Suffice it to say, Bob had a distinct interest and passion for elevating Finger Lakes wineries.
When I started at Premier Liquor, it was my job to clean the bathrooms. Bob took the time to greet me and was always kind and respectful towards me. Even after working my way up the ladder – eventually being promoted to assistant wine manager of the largest stand-alone wine store in the country – Bob didn’t treat me any differently than when I first started at Premier.
“Treat the janitor like the CEO,” while a tired cliche, Bob lived the lesson well.
As the assistant, it was my job to discover and purchase wine from local wineries and introduce them to our customers. I established shelf positions and new product placements in the largest outlet for local wine in the United States. In an industry where connections are important, Bob didn’t have to “work” to establish a relationship with the “wine buyer” at Premier. He made that connection all those years ago when I was just the “kid cleaning the store.”
“People’s perception of a salesperson is as important as their knowledge,” Bob once told me. “No one buys Margaux from a guy who drinks Budweiser in public.” Careful to represent quality brands, Bob introduced me to some amazing local wines, including several he didn’t even represent. Together we introduced hundreds of customers to many New York wines, subsequently selling dozens of pallets of fine vino.
Finally, recognizing that I worked for an industry icon and a man with his employees best interest in mind, Bob told me to “always be loyal to Burt, he will make sure you are okay.”