Marvin Sands

Marvin L. Sands (1924 – August 28, 1999) was an American businessman, and the founder and CEO of Constellation Brands, a Fortune 500 beer, wine and spirits company.

Marvin Sands
Born
Marvin L. Sands

1924
Died1999 (aged 74–75)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
OccupationBusinessman
Known forFounder, Constellation Brands
TitleCEO, Constellation Brands
Term1945–1993
SuccessorRichard Sands
Parent(s)Mordecai E. Sands
RelativesRichard Sands
Rob Sands

Early life

Marvin Sands was the son of Mordecai E. Sands, who was a partner in a winery in Long Island City, Queens, New York since 1932.[1] He was of Jewish descent.[1][2]

Sands earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as an ensign in the US Navy during World War II.[1]

Career

Sands founded the Canandaigua Wine Company in 1945 at age 21.[3]

Sands tried to establish a brand, and was unsuccessful with King Solomon kosher wine and an eponymous Sands brand.[1] In 1954 he produced a "flaming-red blend of dessert wine" called Richard's Wild Irish Rose, named after his son Richard,[4] and this grew to become more than 90% of their sales in the 1960s.[1]

By 1980, annual sales topped $50 million. The company was renamed Constellation Brands in 2000. In 1987, he acquired the Manischewitz Wine Company and in 1988, received kosher certification for the brand from the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.[5] It has acquired several companies including Robert Mondavi wine and Svedka vodka.[3]

Sands served as the company's CEO from its inception until 1993, when he was succeeded by his son Richard Sands.[6][7]

Personal life

Sands lived in Canandaigua, New York with his wife Marilyn "Mickey" Sands.[1] He had two sons, Richard Sands and Robert Sands; and a daughter Laurie Sands Stern (died 1995).[1] He died on August 28, 1999; services were held at Temple B'rith Kodesh in Rochester, New York.[8]

The Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center is named in his honor.

References
  1. Fisher, Lawrence M. (31 August 1999). "Marvin Sands, Winery's Chairman, Dies at 75". Retrieved 16 April 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  2. Eshman, Rob (August 28, 2013). "Jews and wine: A timeline". The Jewish Journal.
  3. Kirsch, Noah. "How Two Brothers Built Their Family Wine Business Into A $40 Billion Alcohol Empire". forbes.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  4. "Constellation sells lower-end wine, spirit brands to California winery for $1.7 billion". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  5. "Manischewitz Wines Kosher for Passover". The Jewish Floridian. March 11, 1988. p. 21.
  6. Cazentre, Don (2019-04-12). "Constellation Brands cuts ties with its Upstate NY legacy, Canandaigua Wine". newyorkupstate.com. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  7. Maloney, Jennifer (2018-10-17). "Constellation CEO Rob Sands to Step Down From Corona Brewer". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  8. Nigro, Dana (August 31, 1999). "Canandaigua Brands Founder Marvin Sands Dies". Wine Spectator.
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