Mary Kate Buckley, Founder, Urlari USA, joins the team from her base in Jackson, Wyoming.

Following her graduation from college, Mary Kate set off with a friend to backpack around Europe for 3 months.  To earn money during their trip, the two took jobs cutting grapes on a vineyard outside of Beaune, France.  She reflects fondly on this early experience, her first introduction to the wine business, and feels that she has come full circle following an international career developing iconic brands and businesses around the globe.

Mary Kate started her career at Grey Advertising in New York while attending NYU/Stern Business School at night.  She then worked for The Walt Disney Company in New York, Hong Kong and Paris in a variety of roles with responsibility for developing the Disney brand, extending distribution, opening retail and developing new businesses throughout Asia and later Europe.  She moved from Paris to Portland, Oregon to join Nike to head their global new business ventures and subsequently e-commerce enabled nike.com.  Later she led Nike’s brand and business in Latin America and Canada as well as the Nike Bauer Hockey Company before moving to Amsterdam to lead Nike’s apparel business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

This is her first experience developing a wine brand but Mary Kate feels quite at home working with a new business venture that is grounded in innovation and quality.