The Indian American Package Store Association of Connecticut (IAPSACT) celebrated the Hindu holiday Diwali with a dinner for 400 of its members, family, friends, suppliers and wholesalers at Villa Bianca in Seymour on Nov. 6. The event featured dinner, drinks and music, both to commemorate the annual festival of lights and to thank members for their support. “It is because of their support and unity IAPSACT has been able to grow to over 250 members in the first year,” said Abhin Sheth, Spokesperson, Advisory Committee. “We are very excited and looking forward to an even bigger 2023.” Beverage selections from the evening came from a variety of sponsor distributors, including Allan S. Goodman; Brescome Barton; Connecticut Distributors, Inc.; Eder Bros.; Hartley & Parker Limited, Inc.; Murphy Distributors; Opici Family Distributing; and Slocum & Sons. Supplier sponsors included Brown-Forman, Constellation Brands, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Diageo, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Moët Hennessey, Palm Bay International, Pernod Ricard, Proximo Spirits, Smoke Lab Vodka and Taub Family Selections.
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- The Indian American Package Store Association of Connecticut (IAPSACT) celebrated Diwali with family, friends, suppliers and wholesalers at Villa Bianca on Nov. 6.
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- All of IAPSACT: Hitesh Patel, Madison Wine Exchange, Board Member, Working Committee and Rani Patel; Ravi Parmar, Cheshire Wine & Spirits, Member and Payal Parmar; Siddhi and Abhin Sheth, Spokesperson, Advisory Committee; and Kajal and Girish Patel, Bottle Stop Wine & Spirit Superstore, Director, Executive Committee.
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- All of IAPSACT except where indicated: Ranchodbhai Patel, Century Package, Member; Rashmi Patel, Oxford Liquors, Secretary, Executive Committee; Steve Slota, Considine Division Sales Director, Connecticut Distributors, Inc.; Vijay Patel; Arun Patel, Chapel St Liquor, Member; Sanjay Shah, Buy Rite Liquors, Vice President, Executive Committee; Jayant Patel, Cellar on 85, Member; Vijay Patel, Step Up Package Store, Member; Ashwin Ghetiya, Co-Op Package Store, Member; and Ashok Patel, Liquor Outlet Southington, Member.
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- All of IAPSACT except where indicated: Sushma Patel, Valley Discount Wine & Liquor, Member; Wendy Eber, President and CEO, Slocum & Sons; and Bina Patel, Managing Director, Wealth Advisory Grou.
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- All of IAPSACT except where indicated: Sanjay Shah, Buy Rite Liquors, Vice President, Executive Committee; Steve Slota, Considine Division Sales Director, Connecticut Distributors, Inc.; Steve Lentz, Brescome Barton; Vipul Shah, Mountain Top Liquors, Member; and Rupal Shah, Mountain Top Liquors, Member.
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- Girish Patel, Bottle Stop Wine & Spirit Superstore, Director, Executive Committee, IAPSACT.
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- All of IAPSACT: Rashmi Patel, Oxford Liquors, Secretary, Executive Committee; Jayant Patel, Cellar on 85, Member; and Ashvin Ghetiya, Co-Op Package Store, Member.
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- Maulik Vyas, Tilted Bottles Wine, Beer & More, Treasurer, Executive Committee, IAPSACT speaking before guests at the Diwali celebration.
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- Vipul Shah, Mountain Top Liquors, Member, IAPSACT; Guest; Svetlin Tchakarov, Performance Director CT, Diageo; Ritesh Shah, Sales Representative, Eder Bros.; Geeta Rai, Performance Manager, Connecticut Independent Division, Diageo; and Guest.
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- Both of IAPSACT: Bob Patel, Century Package, Member and Maulik Vyas, Tilted Bottles Wine, Beer & More and Treasurer, Executive Committee.
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- All of IAPSACT except where indicated: Ray Patel, Valley Discount Wine & Spirits, Member; Steve Slota, Considine Division Sales Director, Connecticut Distributors, Inc.; Sushma Patel, Valley Discount Wine & Liquor, Member; Paul Puhalla, Vice President, Sales, Connecticut Distributors, Inc.; Jagdish Parmar, Parkview Wine & Spirits; and Sanjay Shah, Vice President, Executive Committee.
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- Matt Groski, Sales Representative, Worldwide Wines and Brian Kociszewski, Regional Sales Manager, Worldwide Wines.
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- Both of IAPSACT: Harry Patel, President, Executive Committee and Abhin Sheth, Spokesperson, Advisory Committee.
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- Skye and Philip Orazietti, Palm Bay International.
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- All of IAPSACT: Rashmi Patel, Oxford Liquors, Secretary, Executive Committee; Harry Patel, Happy Harry’s, President, Executive Committee; and Pradyuman Patel, Rebimbas Wine & Liquor, Board Member, Working Committee.
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- Mihir and Krupa Shah, Pit Shop Spirit Shop, Board Member, Working Committee, IAPSACT.
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- All of Eder Bros.: Ritesh Shah, Sales Representative; Ed Weissauer, District Manager; Bill Barford, District Manager; and Henry Lavado, District Manager.
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- Karishma and Arun Lillaney, Liquor World, Members, IAPSACT.
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- Callyn Priebe, Government Relations Operations Manager, Robinson + Cole; Sushma Patel, Valley Discount Wine & Liquor, Member, IAPSACT; and Melanie Flaherty, Lobbyist, Robinson + Cole.
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- Manisha and Pankaj Patel, Hampton Beer & Wine, Board Member, Working Committee, IAPSACT.
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- All of IAPSACT: Raj Modi, World of Beverage, Board Member, Working Committee; Anita Modi; Rupa Vyas; and Jaydatt Vyas, Super 66 Liquors, Board Member, Working Committee.
Photos by Mohan.
