Sam Filmus

President & Managing Director, Keeper of the Quaich

Sam Filmus is the passionate and approachable president of ImpEx Beverages (an Importer of fine spirits from around the world) and JVS Imports (a California Distribution company).  He has done what many of us aspire to in life, take a passion for something and turn it into a career.

While Sam does handle public relations, product selection, sales and marketing, logistics, and social media you will always find him hard at work, happy to do anything for the success of his staff, his customers, and the consumers who love his products… we have even caught him in the warehouse or behind the wheel of a forklift.

Sam received his Whisky Certification from the University of the Highlands and Islands Moray College early on in his career but to him his true education came from the real world and the things he has learned along the way.  He was bestowed the honor of being inducted as a Keeper of the Quaich in 2018, a lifetime achievement well respected by many in the industry.  Even with this title, you will find Sam to be both humble and willing to share his knowledge with anyone who will listen.  He feels that educating people about the unique story behind each brand and the passion of the people involved in creating these wonderful spirits is more important than anything and loves to share this with those he meets whether at a tasting or just walking down the aisle of a store.  He is never too busy to answer a question or strike up a conversation with those he meets.

More than two decades of honing his craft have made him a wealth of knowledge but he will tell you that the real honor is meeting so many of the people in this industry he has learned from and shared with.

Read more about Sam in this interview with Piotr of Whisky My Life

Chris Uhde

Vice President

As ImpEx Beverages Vice President, Chris’ has proven to be gifted in sales, marketing, and business operations from specialty exclusive accounts to large scale region-wide programs. In addition to his role at ImpEx, Chris is Whisky Expert for the United Scottish Society of Southern California and the founder of the Southern California Whiskey Club. He also is responsible for blending whiskies for the US for some of our brands from Japan. With 17 years of experience in the spirits industry under his belt, Chris is affectionately known as the Whisky Red Head or Whisky Ginger, and you can find him traveling throughout the country educating retailers, bartenders, and consumers about the process of making and drinking fine whisky – ImpEx Brands and beyond.

Mary Barthelt

National Sales Manager

Mary joined the ImpEx team in 2022. A 20+ year service industry veteran, Mary loves spirits and creating cocktails, something she loves to share with others.

Mary is very passionate about learning and then educating others, she finds herself at home in front of a crowd and really enjoys the light in people’s eyes as they discover something new or interesting about a spirit type or specific brand.

In her spare time, Mary enjoys spending time with her family and checking out exciting new venues in her home state of IL.  If you see her around town, be sure to ask her if there’s a spot she’d recommend and a cocktail you have to try!

Jared Card

District Manager, Mid Atlantic Region

Jared has been in the alcohol industry for 20+ years, spending a decade in retail and wholesale and then joining the ImpEx team.

He started in the Mid Atlantic region which at the time included Delaware, Maryland, and Washington DC. His heartfelt passion and tenacious work ethic helped his territory quickly expand to include Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio.

Jared was a trailblazer in these states as this was ImpEx’s first time doing business in those markets.

Jared has developed quite the following with his fun and informative events, and he continues to do countless classes and seminars all over the Mid Atlantic. Connoisseurs, whisky geeks, and anyone who just wants to learn about whisky and see what the buzz is all about always leave his tastings with digestible knowledge and a smile!

Jared serves the AR, DE, DC, MD, OH, PA, and SC Markets.

Tom Loftus

Sales & Education Specialist, Mid-Atlantic

Tom joined the ImpEx team in 2023.    A 19+ year veteran of the alcohol industry, Tom is excited to bring his excitement & passion for the industry to the Mid-Atlantic region.

Throughout his career, Tom has experience working at each level of the three-tier system.  From bartending to sales & marketing; various positions have taken him to the Green Mountains of Vermont, the beaches of Delaware, The Electric City in Northeast PA & back home to The City of Brotherly Love.

In his spare time, Tom enjoys spending time with family & friends, playing beer-league hockey & “learning” how to golf.   If you see him around Philadelphia, ask him for directions to the best cheesesteak joint!

Tom serves the AR, DE, DC, MD, OH, PA & SC markets.

Brian Dvoret

Executive Sales Manager

Brian  has been involved in the Scotch Whisky Industry for over 20 years.  Brian and his family now reside in Chandler Arizona.

Before joining ImpEx, Brian was the National Brand Ambassador for Speyside Distillery and Scott’s Independent Bottling Company.  He has been involved in many Scotch Events from Seminars to Whisky Live/Whisky and Barrel Nite (Chicago, Dallas, Pleasanton, New York) to the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival.  Brian is very passionate about Cigar and Whisky pairings!

Brian loves teaching about and exploring distilleries around the world. Along with many expeditions to Scotland, he has even been to Lark Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania.  Having given over 100 seminars on Whisky, Brian loves to spread understanding and a love for the stories behind the spirit!

Brian serves the AK, AZ, CO, MI, NM, and NV Markets.

Melissa Ginzburg

Midwestern Regional Sales Manager

Originally from Iowa, and having spent time living in Japan, Melissa now resides in the heart of the Twin Cities, Minnesota. She has a number of years of experience in the spirits industry including time spent distilling and bottling.

Melissa specializes in hosting events, education, and menu creations showcasing the phenomenal spirits of the ImpEx catalogue.

Melissa serves the KS, MN, MO, NE, and WI Markets.

Kevin Obis

Northwest Sales Manager

Kevin started his career in the beverage industry as a craft cocktail bartender, honing his skills for cocktails and conversation in some of Seattle’s best bars. During his time there he grew to love and appreciate the simplicity of a dram of scotch, perhaps with just a splash of water.

Kevin joined ImpEx in 2020, eager to bring his enthusiasm for Single Malt whiskies and their stories to the people of the Pacific Northwest in a new and exciting way.

Kevin serves the ID, MT, OR, WA, and IL Markets.

Robert Sickler

Southeast Sales Manager

Robert Sickler, a 20 year veteran of the Wine & Spirits industry, spends his days organizing whisky tastings, seminars, and spirited dinners to introduce people to all things whisky. Trained in all aspects of whisky by experts at some of the world’s most famous distilleries, Sickler takes pride in converting new whisky enthusiasts “one dram at a time.”

Before discovering a career in whisky, Sickler worked as an English teacher for 9 years; however, his passion for wine and spirits made him change course. He became a veteran of the wine and spirits world, working as bartender, distributor salesperson, brand ambassador, bar owner, restauranteur,  and spirits consultant. 10 years of his spirits career were spent working as a Master of Whisky with global drinks company Diageo, where he developed a reverence for all aspects of the whisky world. In recent years he opened Finn’s Manor, a whisky-centric cocktail bar in Denver, CO, which received numerous accolades for its whisky and cocktail program. In 2021 Sickler decided to return to Florida, starting a new chapter in his home state.

Robert loves to share his passion with the people he meets and his focus on education makes him a great asset no matter what your experience with spirits.

Robert serves the FL, GA, MS, and TN Markets.

Gary Clark

Territory Sales Manager – Texas

Gary has represented ImpEx since 2010 as a broker. He fully joined the team in 2022.  He began his journey in the alcohol business in 1987 and has worked on-premise, retail, wholesale, and supplier tiers in sales and management roles over the years. He claims to have sold almost every major brand in the last 36 years.

He is an enthusiastic spirits educator.  He has achieved Level 3 Spirits and Level 3 Sake with the WSET and is a WSET Sprits instructor.  He teaches classes in his spare time at the Texas Wine School in Houston.

Gary has written 2 editions of the Japanese Whisky Handbook. In 2020 he released the Whiskey Tasting Journal Bourbon & Rye, to help educate people on what flavors to look for in a glass of Bourbon and where those flavors originate.  

He is currently working on a Scotch Whisky book that will give glimpses behind the curtain. 

Gary has an extensive whisk(e)y collection of open bottles.  He can be found online as the Whiskyvert (think introvert or extrovert but with whisky).

Gary was born in Scotland but raised in Texas, and if the weather is not too hot you might find him in a Kilt.  After a lifetime in the beverage alcohol business, he has a story or two if you have time.

Gersom Leon

Sales & Education Specialist – New York & New Jersey

A native New Yorker, Gersom has been in the food and beverage industry for 12+ years, with a focus on craft products.

He joined the ImpEx team in 2024 with experience on the selling and buying side of the industry. Gersom prides himself on learning what consumers need and want. With a fervor for learning, he uses his passion to engage others.

Outside of his passion for his spirits, Gersom enjoys fitness, photography, and stand up comedy.

Casey O’Donnell

Sales & Education Specialist, New England Market

Casey joined the Impex team in 2023. With 7+ years experience in the brewing and distilling industry, Casey is excited to bring his thirst and passion for the spirits world to the New England region.

After 10 years working in film, television, and radio, Casey was able to transition his hobby into a career by getting into the brewing and distilling industry. Various positions have taken him from Massachusetts to Texas and back. Casey has held almost every position from taproom beer pourer to Production Manager.

In his spare time, Casey spends time with his family traveling and has somehow convinced his wife that visiting distilleries does in fact count as a vacation.

Casey serves the CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, and VT Markets

Chimney

Head of Quality Control

Chimney is our friendly, social, energetic, and playful Head of Quality Control. Perpetually curious, Chimney spends his days observing the happenings at ImpEx Beverages with a keen attention to detail, ensuring that no steps are missed to bring the people who love the spirits we import a product inspired, crafted, and delivered with care and a commitment to quality.

When Chimney isn’t in the warehouse you can find him in San Francisco, introducing our brands to the community.

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