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42 Visit us at yankeespirits.com Dena Haberbosch, Wine Consultant, Sturbridge With James Beard and Escoffier Society dinners as hobbies, Dena is accustomed to the finer things in life. She brings her extensive experience in the hotel and resort industries to every customer interaction she has in the Sturbridge location. Following a career where she frequented the top tourist destinations from Palm Beach to Scottsdale, Dena is ready with endless suggestions for customer questions regarding food and wine pairings. She is eager to be your "wine concierge"! Timothy Gunderman, Wine Manager, Sturbridge It's hard not to be in a good mood if you're a wine aficionado who spends his days exploring both new and classic wines and helping customers find the flavors that leave their palates wanting more. With over thirty years of experience in the wine industry, that's exactly why customers find Tim with a smile on his face. His deep appreciation of winemaking and the people behind the products makes him a reliable source for finding the perfect pairing for your holiday meal. James Taylor, Wine Director, Attleboro James' Yankee career, believe it or not, started on a whim. While looking for a summer job back in 2001, he drove past the Attleboro store and thought, "Wouldn't that be funny, working at a liquor store?" 17 years later, he still considers it the best decision he ever made. In his time at Yankee Spirits, he has experienced wine culture in far off places like Portugal, Spain, France, South America, and California. He knows personally there is great wine to be found no matter where you look, and he's eager to help customers find it when visiting the Attleboro location. Geoff Mendoza, Spirits Specialist, Attleboro Geoff has been with Yankee Spirits for over nine years. He has spent the past eight years diversifying his knowledge of the spirits category, whether working with rum, vodka, gin, tequila, or imported liquors. Geoff is here to help customers explore new tastes and boundaries and try spirits they haven't previously encountered. Geoff's main love in the spirit world is whiskey, and he welcomes the opportunity to find customers new selections or simply jaw about the latest trends in the spirits industry. Don Ackerman, Wine Director, Norwood After nearly three years as Wine Director at Yankee Spirits in Norwood, Ackerman is hitting his stride. He can find any wine in the store in an instant. Special orders take a bit longer, but Yankee Spirits specializes in tracking down that special wine you enjoyed on a whim in a Boston restaurant. Looking for an exciting match for the signature dish at your upcoming diner party? Don can help with that, too. After over 30 years selling wine, he has sampled thousands of wines and looks forward to sharing new wine experiences with customers. Laura Homer, Beer Specialist, Attleboro Lauren has worked at Yankee Spirits' Attleboro store for over 10 years. She has been a part of the beer team from Day 1 and is an avid supporter of the local craft brewing scene. As she notes, there's always something to learn, so field work is important. That's why her hobbies of beer knowledge and exercise has led her to seek out beer events that include a workout! Adventures with her family ranks as her other pastime, and Lauren is happy to report that after ten years, she still loves coming to work every day. Morris Karraz, General Manager and Spirits Specialist, Norwood Like many Yankee Spirits employees, Morris is a long-term member of the team and has worked across different departments. He recently completed the "Award T" program, giving him a certificate for successfully completing basic training for tequila processing and production. In addition, he's attended almost every seminar and tasting Yankee has held for spirits, and he loves sharing his knowledge. He's also helped customers organize wedding orders, providing amazing suggestions with a goal of coming in under their budget. A spirit and events specialist all-in-one, Morris is eager to help you with either category. Barbara Holt, Director of Fine Wine Sales, Swansea For nearly 10 years, Barbara has served the fine wine needs of both Swansea and Attleboro customers. After an extensive career in banking, Barbara embarked on a second career in the wine business, earning several wine certifications. She has been collecting wine for over 30 years and has over 1,300 bottles of wine in her personal wine cellar, all managed by a custom-designed wine inventory database she created. Needless to say, customers will gain insights from a true wine lover when shopping for the perfect food and wine pairing. Seth McBride, Spirits Specialist, Swansea Seth has been in the liquor industry for over eight years, managing Bunghole Liquors in downtown Salem, MA before coming to Yankee Spirits in 2015. His extensive knowledge with all things spirits ensures every customer leaves well informed and satisfied with their purchase. When having a drink, he enjoys tequila and European lagers. Customer service has always been number one in Seth's book and you can find him on the sales floor five days a week in the Swansea location. Thorpe Doran, General Manager/ Beer Specialist, Swansea Thorpe joined Yankee Spirits in late spring 2018, and quickly became an integral part of the management team and the store's resident beer expert. With more than 26 years of retail management experience (and 11 of those years in the alcoholic beverage industry), Thorpe knows his way around a store – and the beer cooler. He's a Level One Cicerone who loves to share his passion for learning with customers and fellow staff members alike. Dennis Vasconcelos, Corporate Spirits Manager, Sturbridge Dennis has been in the liquor industry for over 20 years. He started his career at a Homebrew Warehouse during the boom of the late 90's and early 2000's which piqued his interest in the world of spirits. After that, he worked for a handful of stores learning about each aspect of the business and eventually finding his passion for spirits. He finally made his way to the Yankee team where he helps run the liquor division with the rest of the spirits buyers as well as traveling the country picking private barrels for the chain. It's a difficult job, but someone has to do it – and Dennis is happy to bring his customers along for the ride. Carrie Chase, General Manager, Sturbridge Carrie has been with the Yankee Spirits team for over 10 years and has truly risen through the ranks. She began as a cashier, then stocked shelves, and eventually worked in inventory control and as an assistant manager. As the Sturbridge store's general manager, Carrie takes great pride in what she does, and this is evident in every customer interaction she has. Caring for people is job number one for Carrie, which is why you'll find she is quick with a smile and advice that ensures customers shopping at the Sturbridge location have their every need met – just don't be surprised if you find her singing in the aisles. Ray Roy, General Manager, Attleboro Ray has worked in the retail liquor industry for 30 years. From stocking shelves to general manager, he has first-hand experience across all aspects of the business. He takes pride in the emphasis on customer service at Yankee Spirits Attleboro and works tirelessly to ensure every customer's shopping experience is positive and enjoyable. Whether it's online orders or curbside pickup, or simply helping visitors navigate his 23,000 square foot store, Ray will deliver the service and selection shoppers crave. YANKEE CLOSE UPS Not liable for typographical errors.