LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BFB) (NYSE:BFA) announced today the promotion of Geo. Garvin Brown IV to Executive Vice President, Brown-Forman Corporation, reporting to Brown-Forman Chief Executive Officer Paul Varga, while continuing to serve as Presiding Chair of the Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Brown-Forman/Brown Family Shareholders Committee. In this new role, which will be effective May 1, Brown will provide executive leadership and planning on strategic and operational matters related to the Board of Directors and the Brown family, which controls a majority of the company’s voting shares of stock.

“For the last three-plus years, Garvin has been immersed in this corporate work, as well as an additional full-time job of directing the company’s business in Western Europe and South Africa, and Garvin and I have concluded that the company would gain great benefit from having him focus his leadership and creativity on these two corporate roles on a full-time basis,” said Varga.

“This is work Garvin is uniquely very well qualified to lead, given his experience operating at the intersection of the board, family, and management arenas over the last several years,” stated Varga. “He will, of course, continue to report to the Board on his board duties and responsibilities.”

Brown joined Brown-Forman in 1996 and worked in the sales function in Metro New York. Since that time he has progressed through a series of corporate and operational roles, including service as Jack Daniel’s Brand Director for Europe and Africa prior to taking on his current role as managing director of Western Europe and Africa. In both jobs Garvin has played a key leadership role in growing the company’s European business, despite some of the most challenging macro-economic environments of recent history. Importantly, he has built and leaves behind a strong and highly engaged regional team.

Brown is a graduate of McGill University, with master’s degrees from the University of British Colombia (in political science) and London Business School (MBA). While he and his family will continue to reside in London, Brown will work in both Louisville and London in this role.

For over 140 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Canadian Mist, Fetzer, Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, New Mix, Tuaca, and Woodford Reserve. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by nearly 4,000 employees and sold in approximately 135 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com/.

Source: Brown-Forman Corporation

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