Banfi Vintners, the nation's leading wine importer, has promoted two key executives: Sharron McCarthy to Vice President, Wine Education, and Gary Clayton to Vice President, Marketing.

Ms. McCarthy, a 24-year Banfi veteran, has led the firm's wine education department since its formal consolidation in 1998. She and her team conduct wine education seminars for consumer, trade and educational groups, presenting the major wine regions of the world, the history of wine and the laws governing its production, the proper service of wine and its role in a healthy diet. Ms. McCarthy leads educational tours exploring the wine and food of Italy and Chile, and lectures annually to students at leading universities in the US and abroad. She serves on the board of directors for the Society of Wine Educators, and is associated with the American Institute of Wine & Food, American Wine Society, Sommelier Society of America, New York Women's Culinary Alliance, Dames d'Escoffier and Donne del Vino, among others.

Her wine career actually began at Banfi in 1978, when she joined the firm's consumer affairs department and was appointed its director in 1982. On leave from 1986 to 1994, she served as a consultant to the Italian Trade Commission in New York as well as the Italy-based Enoteca Italiana of Siena.

Mr. Clayton joined Banfi in 1999 as Riunite Brand Director, was promoted to Interim Marketing Director in 2000 and made Director of Marketing in March 2002. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and brand development, Mr. Clayton supervises the 12-member in-house team and several hired agencies for the marketing of the Banfi portfolio, including three of Americas best selling imported wines: #1 Concha y Toro from Chile, #2 Riunite from Italy and #9 Walnut Crest from Chile, as well as the premium wines from Banfi's own vineyard estates in Italy, Castello Banfi of Tuscany and Vigne Regali of Piedmont.

Prior to joining Banfi, Mr. Clayton held several brand management positions over ten years at Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine and worked in marketing for Bausch & Lomb Sports Optics, Koala Technologies, Mattel Toys and Mattel Electronics.

James Mariani, Banfi's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, praised the experienced executives and called their promotions "a sign of three Banfi strengths: education, brand-building, and talented people."