Diageo Beer U.S. Chairman Tom Day exits for Maryland beer distributor

Tom Day, global sales officer and chairman, Diageo Beer Co. (U.S.), is exiting the Norwalk company in late April to become CEO of beverage distributor Reyes Beverage Group”™s beer division.

Day ”“ who spent nearly 15 years at Diageo ”“ will replace David “Duke” Reyes, owner and now former CEO of the division, and director of Reyes Holdings LLC, based in Frederick, Maryland.

During Day’s tenure at Diageo, the firm”™s sales of Guinness Draught rose 12.5 percent from 2016-18, while Guinness Extra Stout sales were up 12.1 percent for the same period. Diageo’s beers ”“ which also include Harp, Smithwick”™s and Tusker ”“ are distributed in the U.S. by Reyes.

Reyes ships over 100 million cases of beer annually; other lines it handles include Miller/Coors, Constellation (Corona, Modelo), HUSA (Heineken, Newcastle) and Boston Beer (Sam Adams, Angry Orchard).

A Diageo spokesperson said that Day”™s “leadership and passion for excellence leaves his team, and Diageo”™s broader commercial business, in great shape to lead our priority efforts. We wish him well.”

A successor for the global sales officer role will be named at a later date.