An inspired culture created by family values
Sam Assaad
Sam founded MISA Imports in August 1998, fueled by an overwhelming desire to revolutionize the wine business. Named after his children, Michael and Sarah, MISA was built brick by brick, bottle by bottle and container by container. Today, MISA and its affiliate distributor network serves 48 states and imports from 10 countries around the world. Sam began his wine career interning with a local Texas wine distributor, Tarrant Distributors. Shortly after, he joined national French wine importer, Bercut Vandervoort. He continued his career with Labouré Roi, the famed Burgundy producer, and later Dubos Frères & Cie, the prestigious Bordeaux négociant. Since the very beginning, Sam has grown the business by staying true to his 3 guiding principles: transparent pricing, exceptional customer service, and top-quality products. He credits MISA’s success to the relationships he has built over the course of a tireless career, from partnerships forged with the best Bordeaux and international wine and spirit producers, to the warm ties with MISA’s valued customers. According to Sam, a true partnership requires finding the right fit; matching the right customer with the right supplier and delivering products in a transparent manner. As MISA moves into the next stage of growth, this founding principle remains unwavering: “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.”
Executive Team
Oubada Duwaji
Chief Executive Officer
Oubada, Chief Executive Officer, has been with MISA since March 2016. Oubada is also the Founder of ENANNA Equity Partners, a family office Investment Management Company. In this role, he served as the lead business advisor to the Assaad Family. Prior to joining MISA, he co-founded BlackBarrel Capital, a Dubai based investment firm focused on alternative investments. He also held leadership positions with SHUAA Capital and the ABRAAJ Group, the largest Private Equity Firm in the MENA region. He started his career in Dallas, TX, working with JP Morgan Chase, Lehman Brothers, and Salomon Smith Barney. Oubada has a B.B.A in Finance from the University of Texas and is undergoing an EMBA at Harvard Business School.
Matt Mize
Chief Operating Officer
Matt, our Chief Operating Officer, has been with MISA since January 2018. His desire is to help build a lasting foundation at MISA that will sustain the company long into the future. He believes that prosperity for MISA, our suppliers and our customers will come through hard work, focus and superior customer service. Matt joined MISA following 14 years of experience from Costco Wholesale in a variety of roles including Corporate Buyer for Beer, Wine and Spirits. Matt graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2003 with a B.A. in English.
Cormac McCarthy
Chief Sales Officer
Cormac, our Chief Sales Officer, has been with MISA since February 2019. His is driven by the overwhelming opportunity that MISA affords both its customers & producers. He is a firm believer in MISA’s principles and purpose, through these principles and building on this great culture, he will contribute to our success in the years ahead. Cormac joined MISA following 19 years at Heineken in a variety of Sales, Marketing and Business development roles in Europe & the US. Cormac graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway with a Bachelor of Commerce.
John Rodrigues
Chief Technology Officer
John, our Chief Technology Officer, has been with MISA since March 2019. He brings over 20 years of experience in Information Technology at an executive leadership level. Most recently, John served as the Sr. Director of IT Strategy and Delivery at USPI, a leader in the Outpatient healthcare industry, where he oversaw the management of the technology platforms and Project Management Office (PMO). Prior to this, he worked at Tenet Healthcare, achieving great success implementing key technologies in the Emergency, Clinical Quality and Health Information Management Departments. John’s main objective at MISA is to steward technological advancements including system wide integrations to improve initiatives such as automation, inventory planning and data & analytics. John has a B.A. degree in Business from the University of Texas and a Masters of IT from the American Intercontinental University. Moreover, John has been a standing Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2004 and recently obtained his Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP) designation in 2018.
Shauntel Deshautelles
Chief Human Resources Officer
Our Chief Human Resources Officer, Shauntel, is a true leader with remarkable proficiency in organizational design, talent management and cultural integration in the consumer goods, food packaging, manufacturing, production and distribution industry. Shauntel earned a B.A. in Organization Communication from Southeastern Louisiana University. Beginning her career as an intern with United Way, Shauntel has amassed over 15 years of progressive HR experience, including leadership positions in Talent Management with Worley Parsons and Community Coffee before assuming the role of Chief Human Resources Officer at Accent Foods Services in Austin. Shauntel’s expertise spans all areas of HR including talent selection, management, development and retention, organizational design, total rewards, M&A integration and company culture. As an HR Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), she is also a member of the Society of Human Resources and Dallas HR.
Sales
Craig Baker
Senior Vice President Sales
Craig, Senior Vice President Sales, has been with MISA since May 2015. While growing MISA's footprint across the east coast, he has also developed MISA's Craig Baker Selections Portfolio. Drawing upon his wealth of experience, he selects an exceptional range of artisan producers to showcase in the portfolio. This selection focuses on Burgundy and the Rhone Valley but also includes offerings from Champagne and Loire Valley. Craig has been involved in the wine industry since 1987 with positions in retail, wholesale, and winery work. He has been working with limited-production, family-run wineries since 1991, and he has been mentored by some of the top U.S. importers over the last quarter century. He has worked for national importers since 1997, working with iconic importers Robert Kacher, Frederick Wildman, and Fran Kysela. During his 17 years with Robert Kacher, he also worked very closely with the growers.
Nagi Saikali
Senior Vice President Sales
Nagi, Senior Vice President Sales, has been with MISA since May 2015. His mission with all of MISA's sales team is to offer our producers’ “truffles” to the right customer and forging a lasting and balanced relationship with both, as they are part of MISA’s family too! Nagi is thrilled to lead a great team of gifted “entrepreneurs;” he sees that each one provides a unique contribution to the company and tremendous potential to grow. Passionate about food, travel and wine, Nagi spent an enriching 15 years in the Hotel and Restaurant industry with Intercontinental Hotels, Disney Resorts, Hyatt Hotels and Omni Hotels; in more than 10 countries. He then joined IXSIR, one of his family’s ventures in Lebanon, and spent 6 years developing it in more than 20 countries. As MISA became the top export customer of IXSIR, it turned out to be nothing less than a second home for him!
Rami Noaman
Senior Vice President Sales
Rami, Senior Vice President Sales, has been with MISA since February 2006. Rami started his career at MISA in the Dallas headquarters in sales and operations. Since then, he has expanded the business portfolio to include the California market which is where he resides today. Rami completed his BS in International Economics from Southern Methodist University.
Alan Unruh
Regional Vice President Sales
Alan, one of our Regional Vice Presidents of Sales, has been with MISA since March 2013. He has spent the past 20 years working in the wine import business. After beginning in restaurant management, Alan transitioned to wine distribution, fine wine retail and finally into wine imports with Stacole Fine Wines. He plans to nurture his career with MISA Imports from his Central Texas home which he shares with his wife Diana and his son Miles. Occasionally, you will find Alan on his mountain bike enjoying the great Texas outdoors.
Gail Dino
Regional Vice President Sales
Gail, one of MISA's Regional Vice Presidents Sales, has been with MISA since June 2017. Her efforts are focused on developing the Spanish portfolio at MISA while expanding national reach and mentoring and developing the Sales & Marketing team. Gail is a wine industry veteran. She developed her wealth of knowledge and experience over a long career. For over 18 years she has worked for companies such as Prestige, Central Market, and Chalone; in wine sales, product placement, brand positioning, and national programs. Gail is passionate about what brings the best out of her; she doesn’t call work “work,” as doing what she loves most is her life’s passion!
Gene Joseph
Regional Vice President Sales
Gene, one of our Regional Vice Presidents of Sales, has been with MISA since 2013. He worked in the Retail wine and spirits industry for several years in the Houston and Katy, TX, area. After spending some time working in premise wines sales for a major distributor, he worked in wine and spirit sales for 2 small, family-owned distributors. In his free time, Gene enjoys to cook while entertaining friends, play golf, and hunt.
CloseBety Moran // Staff Accountant
Bety joined MISA in August 2010 and has witnessed MISA’s rapid growth first-hand. She has worked across many of MISA's department and currently is a key member of the Accounting team.
Prior to MISA, Bety worked for the City of Hurst, and before that was busy raising her three kids along with her high-school sweetheart and husband Robert.
Management
Dinesh Parmar
Director of Accounting & Finance
As MISA's Director of Accounting & Finance, Dinesh has over 20 years of experience in the field. He brings a wealth of experience from companies of various sizes including Intuit, McKesson, Nokia and Sabre. He started his career in Public Accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers in England. He is a CPA and Chartered Accountant with an undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance from Nottingham Trent University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas. After moving from Africa to England, he is now proud to call himself a Dallas native and certainly appreciates the warmer weather. Dinesh enjoys swimming, traveling, volunteering for community events, and spending time with friends and family.
Katie Drew
Director of Distribution
Katie, our Director of Distribution & Planning, has been with MISA since June 2010! Katie started supporting MISA using her expertise in graphic design. Since then she has developed the MISA Network of Distributors across the United States. Katie received a Bachelors in Fine Arts from Texas Christian University. Katie lives in Fort Worth with her husband, enjoys running and monthly reading club.
Mays Alhusseini
Director of Procurement
Our Director of Procurement, Mays, has been a part of the MISA family since June 2012. She graduated from Syria’s Kalamoon University with a B.A. in Management Information Systems. Fluent in Arabic and English, Mays was selected to represent Syria’s students in the Dubai Events and Promotion Apprenticeship Program in 2011 in Dubai, UAE. She is a former officer for Preston Persuaders Toastmasters Club as well as an avid volunteer for the Human Rights Initiative and Heart House through Dallas InterNations Group. Having assumed several different positions during her tenure with the company, from logistics and international relations to purchasing and planning, Mays is a true reflection of the MISA spirit. Her leadership and diligence have been truly instrumental in the development of the Purchasing & Planning unit.
Paul Lawyer
Warehouse Manager
Paul, our Warehouse Manager, has been with MISA since August 2012! He spent his first 32 years of work experience in the Magazine Distribution industry. He started as a delivery driver in Dallas, TX, and finished as the Operations Manager distributing over 1,700,000 copies of magazines per week to 4 states. He oversaw 126 warehouses, 18 office staff, and their supervisors and managers. With the fragmentation of the print business due to the internet , Paul spent a relaxing year managing restaurants for a longtime friend. Paul is married to his best friend, Joan. They take at least 2 trips a year to a beach with crystal blue water, and they love to bring their 2 boys, Maston and John, with them anytime the young men can free up their schedule. Paul’s heart’s desire is to serve at his church and to help as many people as he can. He is also involved with Hope Kids and Operation Touching Lives.
Rick Chevalier
Director of Operations
Tina Boyle
General Manager California
Tina, our General Manager California, has been with MISA since January 2017. We are fortunate to have found a partner with her wealth of knowledge, dedication, and experience! She acquired extensive experience and depth during her 22 years of Buying experience and 6 years of operations working with Costco Wholesale.
The MISA Family
Want to join the ride? MISA is always looking for motivated people to join our team. Check out open positions and say hello!