People
Starbucks Chief Executive
Officer Orin Smith
announced he will retire from the company next March. He will be succeeded
by Jim Donald,
president of the Seattle-based coffee company’s North American
unit... Irial Finan
has been selected as executive vice president at The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta… Barton Brands, Chicago, has
selected Marty Birkel as president, effective Jan. 1. He assumes strategic leadership
of the company’s spirits division from Ed
Golden, who will retire next August. Bruce Jacobson will fill
Birkel’s current position as senior vice president, national
sales… Evian North America has tapped Eric Leventhal as president and general manager. Leventhal previously was
senior vice president of marketing for the Dannon
Co. He will oversee North American operations
and be responsible for the company’s strategic growth… Ketil Eriksen has become
president of V&S Absolut Spirits, succeeding Bengt Baron, who was named chief executive officer earlier this year.
Eriksen will assume the new role in April 2005… Maxxium has appointed Ben van Doesburgh chief
executive officer. Van Doesburgh previously was president of the Europe,
Middle East and Africa operations at Mattel… Wine Intelligence, a research group based in San Francisco, has named Ann Feely director of North
American operations. Feely previously worked for St. Suprey Vineyards & Winery in
Napa Valley... Jacques Begarie has been named head winemaker at Casa Lapostolle, Santa Cruz, Chile.