Michelle Sauer

About Michelle Sauer

A commercial marketing leader with 15 years in beverage alcohol, focused on building trade, shopper, & channel strategies that are locally relevant. My career across Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Heineken USA, & MillerCoors has been about partnering with sales & distributors to turn brand strategies into programs that win the menu, the display, and the occasion.My expertise sits at the intersection of trade marketing, on‑premise & off‑premise channel strategy, & experiential sponsorships. I have led national & regional teams, built new commercial marketing functions from the ground up, and created playbooks and toolkits that make execution easier & more consistent for field & distributor partners. I am known for simplifying complex strategies into clear channel plans, modernizing tools into scalable platforms, & aligning cross‑functional stakeholders around a focused commercial story.I bring a commercial lens to every brief and program. That means starting with customer and shopper needs, then designing programs, cocktail strategies, & POS that unlock incremental distribution, rate of sale, & brand equity for priority SKUs. Colleagues & partners describe my style as collaborative, coaching‑oriented, & solutions‑driven. I am especially energized by opportunities to: lead & build trade/commercial marketing teams, develop channel & occasion strategies, & elevate national/regional sponsorships & partnerships.

Experience

1. Senior Regional Marketing Manager

   GALLO

   Jan 2026 — Present

   Lead regional marketing planning, optimizing national brand strategies into local programs that reach target consumers & drive sales growth.Own local media, events, & sports partnerships, maximizing budgets to deliver strong ROI from sponsorships & local activations.Build & maintain strategic relationships with internal sales, distributor networks & local partners, using insights to identify opportunities, address issues, & propose progressive solutions. Serve as a key liaison between brand teams, sales leadership, agencies, & distributor partners to align on priorities & ensure consistent execution of brand guidelines in market.

Education

• Babson College

  Bachlors of Science in Business Administration, Marketing

  2007 — 2011

Skills

• Strategy
• Facebook
• Social Media
• Sales Operations
• Forecasting
• Management
• Marketing
• Marketing Strategy
• Event Planning
• Account Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Marketing Management
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Retail
• Business Planning