Name: Paul Nanula

Title: CEO

Bio: Paul Nanula is a highly accomplished executive, entrepreneur and investor with a lifetime of Supermarket and convenience store management experience. Currently, as the President of Nanco Group, (Nanco) the investment arm of the Nanula Family Office, Paul has had multiple business successes in his family’s business portfolio most notably leading the repurchase, operation and sale of Wilson Farms and Sugarcreek Convenience stores.

Nanco is a diverse, operator led Family Office invested in real estate, construction, consumer, restaurants and financial Technology sectors. In 1992 Nanco founded Essex Homes, one of the largest homebuilders in Western NY. In 2019 Nanco led the purchase Sinatra and Company Real Estate, with the Company’s founder Sinatra. The Company owns and manages a $580 million portfolio including 5,900 apartments and nearly 1million square feet of commercial space.

Paul started his career at fourteen working at Tops Supermarkets in the dairy frozen department. By age 20, Paul was the dairy frozen Manager and shortly after, an assistant Store Manager. Paul focused on store operations and ultimately became a District Manager, leading the most dynamic district of Tops stores that encompassed a quarter of a billion dollars in sales and thousands of store associates.

Paul left Tops in 1998 to lead Nanco. Paul launched a branch of Raymond James Financial Services, providing financial services to Nanco and other affluent clients, while underwriting local and regional deals. Paul was active in the financial services business until 2004 when as President of Nanco, Paul endeavored to purchase the convenience store chain, Wilson Farms from Ahold Retail N.V.

In 2005, Wilson Farms Acquisition Group purchased the chain form Ahold, while Paul served as President and CEO. Nanco partnered with Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co., Inc., a mid-market private equity firm. Merrill Lynch was the senior lender and Audax was a mezzanine lender to the Acquisition Group.

As CEO, Paul successfully de-coupled Wilson Farms from Ahold, set up a new corporate structure, managed a $25 million capital expenditure and investment plan, revamped store operations, and created a company committed to the communities it served.

Paul’s vision and hard work resulted in the sale of Wilson Farms to 7 Eleven in 2011, enabling the ownership group and lenders a substantial return on investment.

Since 2011 Paul has led Nanco by directing private investments, most notably in the technology services and real estate sectors. In 2010, Paul co-founded IQ Craft, a technology services company, and led the design of an online ordering system for independent supermarket and restaurants. Most recently, Paul has brought into the Nanco fold a bourbon distillery called Three Chord Bourbon, Inc LLC, (SBS). Paul is the President and CEO of SBS, which produces and sells the Three Chord Bourbon brand.

Name: Anthony DeYoung 

Title: Executive Director of Sales & Operations 

Bio: Anthony has 30 years in the Adult Beverage/ Hospitality Industry at all three tiers (Retailer, Wholesaler and Supplier). In his Fourteen years with the Charmer Sunbelt Group, ten years with White Rock and Heaven Hill he has worked on brands such as Crown Royal, Makers Mark, Jack Daniel’s, Grey Goose Vodka, Pinnacle Vodka, Deep Eddy Vodka and most recently launched Three Chord Bourbon.

Anthony is a Senior Executive with extensive leadership experience at the national level. Results-driven professional, with over 24 years of outside B2B sales experience in tangible and intangible products, managing 105 single territories with $1.5 M+ in annual revenue and sales teams delivering 1.8M cases, totaling, $170M in revenue for private and Fortune 200 companies. He offers proven abilities in defining and implementing effective corporate business strategies that are focused on consistent organizational improvements to maximize profits, drive sales, and reduce costs. Use Process Maps and Root Cause Analysis to validate/ support Fit Gap Analysis and Project Management.

Specialties: Brand development, budgeting, financial analysis, sales and profit forecasting, business development, account management, territory growth and development, project management, coaching, training, merchandising, networking, performance management, retail, sales presentations and closing techniques, team building and organizational leadership.

Anthony lives in Buffalo, New York and has raised two outstanding boys that have competed and or won athletic national titles at the high school and collegiate levels. Both college graduates, with honors, their early development of community leadership skills is a product of Anthony’s dedication to hard work and innovation to achieve his goals. As a former All American football player himself, there is no quit in these guys!

Name: Michael Nanula

Title: Director of Marketing

Bio: Entrepreneur with a specialization in sales and new business development, including at Suray Promotions, NICL Insurance Services and Manhattan Real Estate Sales. Supports multiple early stage businesses though his involvement with Niagara International Capital Limited, a Broker/Dealer located in Western New York. Expertise in viral marketing, social network marketing, and development of high value promotional programs.

Name: Ari Sussman

Title: Whiskeymaker                                   

Bio: Following three years of winemaking in France, Ari was approached by the newly formed Artisan Distilling Program at Michigan State University to help train the next generation of distillers in the art and science of spirits development. During his four years at MSU-ADP, Ari worked with dozens of students, entrepreneurs, farmers and corporations to bring new spirits to market, often incorporating cutting edge techniques and processes.

Ari has worked closely with architects and zoning officials to build 15 new distilleries from the east coast to Detroit to California. In 2013, Ari founded the only distillery in his home town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Within its first year, Ann Arbor Distilling Company won several accolades and awards. Ari has consulted on Whiskey Advocate’s “Distillers of the year” and “Craft Spirit of the Year” awards, all in the last Three Years. His well-diversified distilling skills have also earned major accolades in the Vodka and Gin categories as well. He has worked on projects that have earned the “Best Vodka in the World Award” in London and a “Top Ten Spirits” 2015 in Wine and Spirits Magazine.

Ari continues to work with distilleries, importers and blenders to streamline operations, develop new products and install qualitative and quantitative quality control and assurance.

Name: Megan Reckling

Title: Director of Sales

Bio: Megan has 17 years in the food and beverage industry, with the last 4 at the distribution level. She also owned her own retail business for 4 years. Her achievements reflect outstanding marketing instincts, an innovative spirit and strong leadership skills. Megan is a strong work ethic and the ability to execute as her numbers speak for themselves.

Name: Ryan Gill

Title: Director of Brand Development

Bio: Former concert promoter turned retail liquor store General Manager. Worked in off-premise retail for 14 years, half of that as a GM with a strong focus on private barrel selections. Created award winning and highly acclaimed private label bourbon and worked as a concert promoter for artists like Ted Nugent, and Avenged Sevenfold. Ryan works closely with Bourbon Groups nationwide to build Three Chord’s footprint.

Name: David Michael Miller

Bio: David Michael Miller started his journey with Three Chord Bourbon as recommended entertainment for a launch party with his nationally touring southern soul band, Miller and The Other Sinners. Now this husband, father, singer/songwriter, software designer, and project manager is coming on board to help cement and expand the Brand Ambassador Program across all markets. Through his years of touring across the country and even more years of experience with marrying technology solutions for startups, David is in a unique position to contribute to the next chapter of the story Three Chord Bourbon.

Name: SB “Bass” Reeves

Bio: SB “Bass” Reeves has a multidimensional background spanning over 50 years as a leader, entrepreneur and creative writer. He is a past recipient of a Ford Foundation Executive Leadership Doctoral Fellowship, and a twice finalist of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
“Bass” has written over 500 songs and performed them everywhere from the street corner to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
He continues to write and perform and is dedicated to giving back to the community which has been so gracious to him over the years.