Roy Steven Danis is an American marketing and beverage-industry executive whose career has included leadership roles at Seagram, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, W.J. Deutsch, Jose Cuervo, Campari America, and Conecuh Brands. He has developed spirits brands and served as a nonprofit board chair, including at The Viscardi Center.
Background
Roy Steven Danis was born on April 30, 1956, in Freeport, New York, to Melvyn James Danis and Lorraine Yvette Kunken Danis. He grew up on Long Island and later pursued higher education in business and applied economics.
His professional life has remained closely connected with the New York metropolitan area, although executive assignments took him to Massachusetts, Maryland, California, and other markets in the United States. He has also maintained an active connection with nonprofit work serving people with disabilities.
Education
Danis earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1978 and a Master of Business Administration from Boston College in 1984. Cornell combines research university education with professional study through its applied economics and management programs, while Boston College is a Jesuit research university whose graduate business education developed within a tradition emphasizing management, ethics, and social responsibility.
During his time at Cornell, Danis was co-captain of the men's gymnastics team. His education preceded a career in the beverage-alcohol industry, where sales, marketing, brand management, and general management became the principal strands of his professional work.
Career
Danis began his career with The Seagram Company in 1978, holding progressively responsible positions in operations, sales, state management, regional management, and product management. His Seagram assignments included work in New York City, Westwood, Massachusetts, Albany, Lake Success, and Baltimore. Seagram was a major international beverage-alcohol company whose portfolio included prominent whisky, cognac, and other spirits brands.
After Seagram, Danis held sales and marketing leadership roles with Tropicana, Grand Metropolitan, Diageo, and Pernod Ricard USA. These companies operated across the increasingly consolidated global beverage industry, in which brand positioning, national distribution, and portfolio management were central commercial functions. At Pernod Ricard, he served as vice president and general manager of the United States business.
From 2001 to 2007, Danis was executive vice president for sales and marketing at W.J. Deutsch & Sons. He subsequently became president of Raventós Codorníu North America, managing director of North America for Jose Cuervo International, and managing director of Campari America. In the Campari role, beginning in December 2012, he oversaw the company's business in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Danis became president and chief executive officer of Conecuh Brands in the mid-2010s. The company developed and marketed super-premium spirits, including Clyde May's whiskey, Prospero Tequila, and other brands; under his leadership, it emphasized brand development, packaging, storytelling, and distribution. He later became co-founder and managing partner of Revival Spirits, LLC, while continuing his involvement in beverage-industry entrepreneurship and brand development.
Achievements
Danis led the development and commercialization of beverage brands including Yellow Tail wines, Jose Cuervo Silver, and Clyde May's Bourbon, contributing to their sales, marketing, and distribution strategies.
He co-founded Revival Spirits, LLC, extending his work in beverage-industry entrepreneurship and brand development after executive leadership roles at major spirits companies.
Danis served as co-captain of the Cornell University men's gymnastics team during his senior year.
Views
Danis's documented leadership philosophy emphasizes authenticity, credibility, transparent communication, and building high-performing teams. In discussing management, he has identified the selection and development of capable colleagues as a central responsibility of leadership and has stressed the importance of matching people effectively with organizational roles.
Membership
Danis served on the board of the Association for Children with Down Syndrome and held executive-board offices, including first vice president and president, during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The organization provided advocacy and support for children and adults with Down syndrome.
He joined the board of Abilities, Inc. in 2012 and later joined The Viscardi Center board in 2014. The Viscardi Center is a Long Island organization dedicated to educating, employing, and empowering people with disabilities; Danis became chair of its board in July 2022.
Danis has also participated in UJA-Federation of New York's Wine & Spirits Division, a professional philanthropic group connecting members of the industry with charitable and community work.
Served as board member, first vice president of the executive board, and president of the executive board.
Association for Children with Down Syndrome
,
United States
1989 - 1991
Served on the board of directors.
Abilities, Inc.
,
United States
2012 - 2014
Served as development committee chair and became chair of the board of directors in 2022.
The Viscardi Center
,
United States
2014 - present
Serves on the executive committee.
UJA-Federation of New York Wine & Spirits Division
,
United States
2014 - present
Personality
Danis has described effective leadership in terms of genuineness, authenticity, honesty, open communication, and concern for the development of colleagues. Public accounts of his career also characterize him as a brand builder and team-oriented executive.
Quotes from others about the person
Industry colleagues have described Danis as an experienced beverage-alcohol executive with a record of work across sales, marketing, operations, and brand management. Gerry Ruvo, who worked with him at several companies, credited him with experience across major spirits brands and a broad range of commercial roles.
Interests
Running, reading, fundraising for charities, and men's gymnastics.
Connections
Danis married Susan Iris Feltheimer on January 22, 1983. They have two children, Lauren Beth Danis and Rachel Blair Danis. His parents were Melvyn James Danis and Lorraine Yvette Kunken Danis.
Father:
Melvyn James Danis
Mother:
Lorraine Yvette Kunken Danis
Spouse:
Susan Iris Feltheimer
child:
Lauren Beth Danis
child:
Rachel Blair Danis
References
ACG New York speaker profile: Roy Danis
Documents Danis's executive career in the wines and spirits industry, his education, major brand work, and position as president and chief executive officer of Conecuh Brands.
