Heidelberg Star January 2022

Cleveland Sales Professional Rebecca Emrick has most of her 100 or so retail accounts in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Despite the large number of both on and off premise accounts and having been in her current position for just a little over a year, she has never felt overwhelmed.

“I have been with Heidelberg for almost three years and was a merchandiser for close to the first two, so I was able to get training and learn from a lot of great people,” Rebecca said. “I was not only assisting the sales pros in off premise accounts and training that way, but when they would take vacation time, I would fill in on their routes. Once I was able to get my sales route, I felt very prepared.”

Getting to learn the ‘ropes’ as a merchandiser in both large chain stores as well as small independents, gave Rebecca the knowledge she would need in managing accounts of all sizes. “One of the biggest things I learned was what and who you needed to know to be successful in a particular account,” she says. “It’s very much attention to detail in every account, whether it’s on or off premise. Getting to know everyone that is vital to having success in a particular account. The receiver, the grocery lead, the wine lead, the general manager. Getting to know everyone as a merchandiser carried over into my current role as a sales pro. It’s all about relationships.”

Rebecca’s route is a unique one in the Cleveland territory. The largest village in Tuscarawas County, is New Philadelphia, population 17,677. A lot of her accounts are closer to Pittsburgh than Cleveland and is a mix of both chain and independent accounts. “Being the lone sales rep, I handle both on and off premise and sell beer, wine, Wine Trends and handle our spirits marketing portfolio as well,” Rebecca says. “I don’t have stops at every single account each week, some are every other week and others I contact with either via email or phone in between in person visits. So, it certainly helps to be organized!”

Handling everything for the county that Heidelberg carries in the Cleveland market, is a lot of products to keep straight going from account to account. With the craziness of OND in the rearview mirror, Rebecca is looking forward to things settling down in January. “There is never really a time where there is nothing to do,” she says. “Once January hits and we get back to a ‘normal’ level after the craziness of OND (October, November, December). It gives me the opportunity to catch up a little bit on things that we didn’t have the time for at the end of the year. Some back rooms that need to TLC and I will also focus with my accounts on planning for 2022. So, it never really slows down.”

Rebecca is also a photographer and focuses on outdoor photography. She enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband two kids, ages 7 and 5. “I enjoy being in the kitchen, spending time and cooking and baking with the kids,” she says. “We did our traditional Christmas cookie bake-a-thon making Lebanese cookies with my mom and my aunt. We also have a park in our neighborhood, so we walk up there and enjoy spending time playing at the park.”