WSWA Honors Dina Opici with WLC Icon Award
Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) selected Dina Opici, president of Opici Family Distributing and immediate past chair of WSWA, as the recipient of the 2026 Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) Icon Award.
The WLC Icon Award is presented to an industry figure whose leadership, influence and commitment have made a meaningful and enduring impact on women within the wine and spirits wholesale tier, according to the organization. The award recognizes a true icon — someone who embodies WLC’s core pillars of Educate, Elevate and Empower, and whose actions have helped open doors and strengthen the industry for future generations.
Opici’s career exemplifies those values. She is president of Opici Family Distributing, a family-owned wine and spirits wholesaler founded by her great-grandparents in New Jersey in 1934. After earning her law degree from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Opici joined the family business in 1998, according to the organization. For more than two decades, she has held numerous leadership roles across sales administration, human resources and legal affairs, helping to guide the company’s growth and expansion into multiple states while maintaining its commitment to integrity and relationships.
Opici has also played a pivotal role in industry leadership and advocacy. She served as the inaugural chairwoman of WSWA’s Women’s Leadership Council (WLC), according to the organization, leading the WLC Advisory Board for three years while advancing its transformational mission and programs such as the annual WLC Conference. More recently, she made history by becoming the first woman to serve as chair of WSWA’s board of directors, helping guide the association through a period of significant change while championing inclusion, mentorship and collaboration.
Catherine McDaniel, senior vice president of member advocacy for WSWA and director of WLC, praised Opici’s impact and example. “Dina is the very definition of an icon,” McDaniel said in a news release. “She leads with courage and generosity, consistently using her platform to lift up others. Her influence can be seen not just in her company and in WSWA, but also in the countless women she has mentored and inspired across the industry.”
“I am deeply honored and truly grateful to be recognized with the WLC Icon Award,” added Opici. “The Women’s Leadership Council was founded on the premise that when we invest in one another — through education, mentorship, and advocacy — we strengthen not just women leaders, but the entire industry. I remain committed to uplifting the next generation of women in the beverage alcohol space and to fostering an industry that is more collaborative, inclusive and stronger for all.”
The WLC Icon Award was last presented in 2020 to Barkley Stuart to recognize his courageous allyship and advocacy in advancing women leaders and championing diversity across the wholesale tier.
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