Sidney Chaplin

Chaplin, Sidney Miami, Florida, March 2, 2006- Sidney Chaplin, Executive Vice President, General Manager, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada, a division of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., died on March 2, 2006; he was 82 and died after a short illness in Miami, Florida.
A Brooklyn, New York native, Mr. Chaplin graduated from Tilden High School, located in Brooklyn. Following high school, he attended Long Island University for two years. During World War II, Mr. Chaplin served in the United States Air Force. After his military service for our country, he started his working career as an insurance salesman in New York City. After that, in his first job in the wine and spirits industry, which became his lifelong career, Mr. Chaplin joined Ontario Liquor Distributors, a wine and spirits wholesaler, which was based in Rochester, New York, and where over the years he rose to the post of General Manager. Following this, Mr. Chaplin joined Buckingham Importers, a former importer and marketer of Cutty Sark Scotch, as its sales executive for upstate New York through 1968. Then, in 1969, Mr. Chaplin, along with his brother, Harvey R. Chaplin joined Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. where Harvey R. Chaplin is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer today. Based in Miami, Mr. Sidney Chaplin served in a variety of senior sales and administrative roles for seven years. In 1976, Mr. Chaplin was appointed Executive Vice President of Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada in Las Vegas. In fulfilling his industry responsibilities, Mr. Chaplin always spent a great deal of time with the distributor's numerous suppliers and brand owners, displaying a personal touch and an equally unwavering commitment to fostering strong relationships with all the Company's customers, suppliers and employees alike. "Our father really loved his children and especially all his grandchildren. He really had a passion for family, and for work; and he truly believed in hard work. He was also very involved not only with the establishment of Temple Beth Sholom in Las Vegas, but was a generous supporter of many civic and philanthropic activities, though never sought the limelight for all his contributions," said Larry Chaplin, Sidney Chaplin's son who is Administrative Vice President of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc, and speaking on behalf of his mother, Shirley, and his siblings, Ward and Randi. Mr. Chaplin's brother, Harvey, said: "My brother will be missed by his family, his friends and his business associates. He had a big heart and he shared it with many, many people." Sidney Chaplin is survived by his wife Shirley, his children, Laurence (Larry), Ward, and Randi; his brother, Harvey; and his grandchildren, Joshua Paul, Kerry Michele and Ashley Ann.