Brown-Forman Corporation was founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown, a young pharmaceuticals salesman in Louisville, Kentucky, who had the then-novel idea of selling top-grade whiskey in sealed glass bottles. Out of his idea grew a company that in fiscal 2006 had sales of $2.4 billion in wine and spirits.

Brown-Forman employs 3,750 people worldwide with about 1,300 located in Louisville. Brown-Forman, one of the largest American-owned spirits and wine companies and among the top 10 largest global spirits companies, sells its brands in more than 135 countries and has offices in cities across the globe. In all, Brown-Forman has more than 35 brands in its portfolio of wines and spirits.

Those fine quality consumer products include Jack Daniel's and its family of brands, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Canadian Mist, Fetzer and Bolla wines, Sonoma-Cutrer, Korbel Champagne, and Hartmann Luggage. We globally market and sell various categories of beverage alcohol products, such as Tennessee, Canadian, and Kentucky whiskies; Kentucky bourbons; California sparkling wine; tequila; table wine; liqueurs; vodka; rum; and ready-to-drink products.

Presenter - Paul C. Varga, President and Chief Executive Officer

Paul Varga was appointed president and chief executive officer of Brown-Forman Corporation on August 1, 2005. In addition, he will assume the title of chairman of the Brown-Forman Corporation, effective August 1, 2007. He also serves on the company's board of directors.

Prior to his position, Varga served as president and chief executive officer of Brown-Forman Beverages. He has also served as senior vice president, chief marketing officer for Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide. In this capacity he provided executive direction of the marketing efforts for brands that comprise Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide in domestic and international markets.

Varga began his career at Brown-Forman as summer intern at Brown-Forman Spirits and Marketing in May of 1986. Since then, Paul has assumed many positions within the corporation ranging from on-premise marketing to managing such brands like Jack Daniel's. Varga was promoted to senior vice president, chief marketing officer in November 2000.

Varga earned his bachelor of business administration degree in finance from the University of Kentucky in 1985. He went on to earn his master's in business administration at Purdue University in 1987.

Paul resides in Louisville with his wife, Melissa, and his son, Benjamin, and his daughters, Abby and Lauren.