RNDC CEO Nick Mehall Departs, Bob Hendrickson Becomes Interim Chief
Nick Mehall, the chief executive of second-ranked U.S. wine and spirits distributor Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC), is departing the company, with veteran RNDC executive Bob Hendrickson replacing him on an interim basis.
The news of Mehall’s departure closely follows RNDC’s loss of two top suppliers in the California market, Tito’s vodka and Brown-Forman, both of which are joining the portfolio of leading beer distributor Reyes Beverage Group in the Golden State.
Mehall succeeded longtime RNDC CEO Tom Cole in early 2022. Prior to that, he had served as the distributor’s CFO since 2017, before which he was SVP of finance for Diageo’s U.S. and Canada Spirits business.
His tenure at RNDC coincided with the supply chain disruptions, market normalization, and industry slowdown coming out the pandemic. Over the past year, RNDC struck fresh deals with suppliers including Bronco, Duckhorn, Palm Bay, Edrington, and Riboli among others. But it has also seen others explore new routes to market, including longtime partner Sazerac, which split from RNDC two years ago. In an announcement today, the company credited Mehall with leading “key investments in portfolio expansion, e-commerce, and operational efficiency” during his time as CEO.
Interim CEO Bob Hendrickson has been with RNDC and its predecessor companies for nearly four decades. He served as COO from 2009 up to last August, when he transitioned to an advisory role as senior commercial advisor.
“As a board, we are committed to further accelerating RNDC’s growth in 2025 and as a respected leader with a deep understanding of RNDC’s business, culture, and the evolving marketplace, we are pleased to have Bob transition from Commercial Advisor to the Board to this interim role,” said RNDC board member, Marc Sachs. “While the industry continues to face headwinds and unprecedented change, we are confident that his experience, operational expertise, and strong industry relationships will provide steady leadership and the stability our supplier partners and customers seek as we move forward.”
RNDC had estimated 2024 revenues of $12.2 billion across its 40-market territory, according to Shanken’s Impact Newsletter. Key suppliers include Brown-Forman, Delicato, William Grant, Edrington, Rémy Cointreau, Riboli, Treasury Wine Estates, Jackson Family Wines, Proximo, Gallo, Pernod Ricard, Trinchero, and Luxco, among others. —Daniel Marsteller
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