Latest RNDC leadership appointments highlight commitment to innovation in the beverage alcohol industry
ATLANTA, Georgia – March 6, 2025–Emily Xu will step into an expanded role at Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) as Chief Digital & Information Officer, effective March 7, 2025–bringing a fresh wave of innovation and leadership to the beverage alcohol industry. Her extensive background in e-commerce, marketing, and technology will play a crucial role in enhancing digital literacy and advancing the digital and technology capabilities at RNDC.
Emily Xu has been a driving force behind RNDC’s digital acceleration, previously serving as Senior Vice President of e-commerce and Marketing. Under her visionary leadership, the award-winning eRNDC platform achieved a record-breaking $1 billion in revenue in 2024 and solidified its position as the best-in-class collaborative e-commerce platform that seamlessly connects brands, sales reps, and customers 24×7. Emily’s exceptional ability to integrate technology, innovation, brand marketing, and business growth makes her the ideal leader to advance RNDC’s digital and tech strategy.
“We are thrilled to announce Emily Xu in her new role as Chief Digital & Information Officer,” said Bob Hendrickson, CEO and President of RNDC. “Her impressive track record in driving e-commerce success and her strategic vision for digital transformation will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and grow.”
Emily expressed her enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “I am passionate about integrating business strategy and technology advancements. Today, technology plays a pivotal role in any industry to deliver operational efficiency and advance the business model to gain competitive advantage. The beverage alcohol industry is fast evolving, I look forward to working closely with our talented team at RNDC and our supplier partners to drive technology advancements in our industry and deliver exceptional value to our customers and partners.”
Additionally, Emily spearheaded several key projects at RNDC, including applying AI/machine learning to provide real-time insights into customer behavior and sales leads. She also led the launch of Republic Digital (REDI), an e-commerce accelerator for brands, which connects brands with next-gen consumers and drives growth through digital ecosystems and the marketing landscape. Her work in these areas has significantly enhanced RNDC’s operational capabilities and customer engagement.
Her previous experience includes executive leadership roles at luxury home goods brands such as Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and Crate & Barrel along with mass retailer Sears Corporation, where she drove omnichannel sales growth, customer experience, corporate strategy, and technology innovations. Emily also held various positions at AT&T/Bell Labs, where she worked in R&D, innovation, and commercialization. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Tsinghua University.
In this new role, Emily will lead and execute RNDC’s digital strategy, leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions to drive sales growth and enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency.
Additional goals under Emily’s leadership include:
- Advancing automation solutions to optimize supply chain management and deliver incremental value.
- Modernize technology infrastructure to increase business agility, scalability, and future-proof operations.
- Enhancing cybersecurity measures to protect enterprise information and ensure compliance with industry standards.
- Integrating advanced data analytics to business operations and drive strategic value.
- Enabling a technology-savvy and adaptive workforce to foster continuous learning and future readiness.
RNDC is committed to leveraging its national network, operation excellence, and highly experienced salesforce to deliver the best value to our suppliers’ partners and customers. Emily Xu’s appointment highlights the company’s commitment to advancing and innovating in the industry.
About Republic National Distributing Company
As a leading national beverage distributor in wine and spirits, RNDC has established its reputation by bringing the industry’s brightest talent together, consistently igniting opportunities for our suppliers, customers, and associates. Our expansive national reach empowers suppliers by building strategic relationships with on- and off-premise customers, elevating their brands and connecting them with their target consumers. Operating in the District of Columbia and 39 states across the United States, we are committed to being the most valuable partner to all we serve.
With roots extending before Prohibition and a footprint spanning from local to national, digital to DTC, we are ushering in a new era of wine and spirits distribution within the three-tier system. At RNDC, we work in that rare space where commitment to craft meets unrelenting quality. Fueled by passion, we are raising the bar for beverage alcohol distribution—elevating spirits and sales across our value chain.
To learn more, visit www.rndc-usa.com or contact Kanchan Kinkade, Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Kanchan.Achar@rndc-usa.com. “The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.”
