| DAVID K. BOWMAN David is the Chief Executive Officer for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, one of the 10 largest wine companies in the United States. David assumed this role in late 2025 after leading the restructuring of Ste. Michelle’s go-to-market organization as the company’s Chief Commercial Officer from 2023 through 2025. David was recruited in 2021 by private equity firm Sycamore Partners following their $1.2B acquisition of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. As President/CEO of California, David recruited the leadership team that rapidly grew EBITDA and enterprise value for three historic wineries – Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Patz & Hall Winery, and Conn Creek Winery – reporting to Sycamore and Ste. Michelle’s Board of Directors. David and his team then led the successful divestiture and carve out of all three wineries, including the sale of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars to Marchesi Antinori S.p.A in June 2023. In early 2021, David launched blutram growth advisors to capitalize on his 20+ years of experience as an executive in fast-moving wine and consumer goods. Blutram’s mission is to assist founders and operators to create compelling brands, drive exceptional topline results, source growth capital partners, perform due diligence on acquisitions and divestitures, and explore exit options to maximize enterprise value. For the seven years ending early 2021 David was the Executive Vice President of the Classics, Estates & Atlas portfolios for Jackson Family Wines. These portfolios represented ~90% of the Company’s $700M+ annual revenue and include internationally recognized and distributed brands such as Kendall-Jackson and La Crema, as well as luxury wineries such as Santa Barbara’s Brewer-Clifton, Napa Valley’s Freemark Abbey and Oregon’s Penner-Ash. David’s direct-to-consumer organization delivered a 43% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in net profit across four years, generating over $40M in revenue per year. During his tenure, David also led the acquisition due diligence and integration of Siduri, Brewer-Clifton, Penner-Ash, WillaKenzie Estate and Copain. Prior to joining Jackson Family Wines, David served as Vice President of Marketing and Direct Sales, and as the Managing Director of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for FIJI Water LLC, a business unit of Wonderful Brands. David led FIJI Water’s expansion into the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and his EMEA sales team achieved a 35% net revenue CAGR during his tenure. David’s brand management team developed the “Earth’s Finest Water” campaign for FIJI Water, and the new packaging and national sales strategy for JUSTIN Winery, growing the business from 45K cases to over 175K cases in 3-years. David’s direct-to-consumer teams delivered a 28% revenue CAGR and raised JUSTIN’s wine subscription membership by 63% to 18,000 members, with an annual $710 spend per member average. David’s experience in wine started with E & J Gallo Winery in 2002. By 2005, as Vice President of Marketing for the Premium and Fine Wine business unit, David had built multiple teams at Gallo responsible for developing, launching, and managing 27 brands from 10 countries of origin, ranging in consumer price from $8 to $200+ per bottle, and generating over $600M in annual revenue. From creating new brands such as La Marca Prosecco, Ghost Pines, and Apothic, to leading premium expansion via the acquisitions of Louis M. Martini and William Hill Estate, David’s teams drove sequential double-digit topline growth for Gallo’s above $10 domestic and imported wine portfolios. Before attending graduate school, David served as the Director of Marketing for Catalina Marketing Corporation soon after the company became public. Catalina was a first-mover in leveraging real-time transactional and historic purchase data to precisely target consumers for advertising and loyalty programming via a network installed in 25,000 grocery and mass merchandisers in the US. David was named inventor on three USPTO filings for purchase history driven consumer targeting. David has leveraged this experience applying rigorous “big data” analytics and emerging technologies to traditional, less progressive consumer packaged goods segments in leading other organizations’ technology transformations. Early in David’s career he worked for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. in various sales, sales management, and trade marketing capacities. This direct experience in frontline 3-tier sales – working inside a distributor as well as for a leading supplier – gave David invaluable experience in understanding the tactical sales requirements for success in both retail and on-premise environments. David holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Marketing from the University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, where he also held a fellowship at the Howard Lester Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. David and his wife live in Healdsburg, California in the heart of Sonoma County wine country. They have two sons, one in high school and the other in college. David has served on various non-profit boards, including the Wine Institute, the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin. . |
Character:
David leads with integrity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right even in challenging environments. His decision-making is grounded in fairness and respect, allowing him to foster trust throughout every level of an organization. He carries himself with quiet confidence, consistently demonstrating reliability in both stable and uncertain times.
Knowledge:
With more than 30 years of senior leadership experience, David possesses a deep understanding of global markets, consumer dynamics, and organizational structures. He integrates insights from diverse industries to create comprehensive strategies that reflect both emerging trends and practical realities. His ability to synthesize complex information into actionable direction sets him apart as a seasoned operator and strategic thinker.
Strategic:
David sees the bigger picture while maintaining a firm grasp on the details that drive execution. He excels at guiding companies through change, balancing risk with opportunity, and aligning teams around a shared vision. His strategic clarity empowers organizations to move forward decisively and with purpose.
Communication:
Communicating with clarity, empathy, and intention, ensuring that stakeholders feel informed and valued. His ability to translate complex issues into accessible narratives strengthens alignment across teams and cultures. Whether speaking with boards, employees, or customers, he brings authenticity and professionalism to every interaction.
