Kansas City, Missouri
JP moved to the Kansas City area from Chicago 23 years ago to take a position as Food Service Director for Sodexho at University of Missouri Kansas City. Growing up in Bloomington Indiana, JP developed a love for college basketball and enjoys being in Big 12 country. JP is married to his wife of over 10 years, Liz Mendez-Gilmore. Both are the proud parents of their daughter Dahlia Rose Gilmore.
Sean loves to spend time with his wife Carla and his two amazing kids, Dylan and Jada. When Sean isn’t working, his passion is cooking. Thai dishes, pasta, and beef bourguignon are just a few of his go-to specialties.
The restaurant was one of Vintegrity’s first customers. She has always been impressed with not only the portfolio Vintegrity had, but the amazing customer service of the team. JP always had integrity. When she decided she was ready to leave the restaurant business, she learned about an office coordinator opening and immediately reached out to JP. 5 years later the company has grown and she is now the Assistant General Manager. Courtney says that the best part of working for Vintegrity is working for owners that not only have insight for the growth of the company, but are very employee driven and truly respect and value what every single person brings to the company.
Courtney is married to Jasen Foster, one of Vintegrity’s sales reps. Together they have three beautiful children Ashlin, Ella, and Max. She is a proud supporter of local arts and loves live music and dining out at the many of the amazing restaurants here in KC. She loves to travel and be outdoors. When her and Jasen are hanging out at home they enjoy opening up a nice bottle of wine and listening to records.
Food is her passion outside of work, and she loves cooking and trying out new and interesting restaurants wherever she goes. She also enjoys concerts and stand-up comedy shows with her boyfriend when they’re not deciding which TV show or movie to watch!
Jasen and Courtney have three children: two daughters and a son. When he isn’t working, Jasen enjoys going to concerts, travelling as much as possible, and enjoying the quality, family time that they get when they all go on camping trips together.
Tom has been married to his wife Barb for over 25 years. They have three wonderful daughters and one crazy Wheaten Terrier. In his spare time, Tom enjoys a passion for cooking, Royals baseball, and Kansas basketball.
David has called Kansas City his home since 1989. He and his wife of almost 19 years, Enid, are very proud parents of 16-year-old daughter, Emma. When he isn’t working, David is an avid golfer, playing as often as he can.
Champagne
Favorite local restaurants and why?
Antler Room, so creative and delicious!
Favorite Hole-in-the-wall bar (or best kept secret bar) and why?
Caddy Shack
Top 3 Bars and why?
-Charlie Hoopers, tradition with friends
-Louises on Mass, college hang out
-Tannin, great wine
Favorite liquor store and why?
Lukas, amazing selection.
Favorite meal+wine combos at home?
Anything my wife cooks from her garden and probably some burgundy from the cellar.
Favorite bottle in my cellar:
Thats tough, either a 75 pomerol or a 86 monte bello.
Must haves on my home bar:
Gin
Go-to drink to make for friends
My friends??? Shotgun beer🤣🤣
How I got into the liquor distributor business:
Been working closely with wine and spirits for 20 years.
My previous job was:
Food and beverage director at high end retirement community.
People think that as a liquor rep I do...
Sit around fancy restaurants and talk about wine.
What I actually do is…
Drive, help different business's with their portfolios.
What I love about this job is:
Well I'm pretty new but its just fun, competitive and everyone is really nice and supportive!
Hometown:
PV
Neighborhood:
North East
I like to drink with:
Friends and my wife.
Nobody knows that I:
I read a lot.
Favorite guilty pleasure movie/TV show:
F1 racing, nobody I know watches it!
I like to enjoy (favorite drink for this pastime) while enjoying (name pastime).
West coast baseball games with a glass of wine or two after the kids are asleep.
Now at Vintegrity, Morgan says she’s glad to have made the move. “I really like Vintegrity because the portfolio is vast, and everyone seems to have the same end goal – to be the best at what we do. It’s what I really like most about the company.” Morgan continued, “The team at Vintegrity is especially knowledgeable about the products we carry – and, they really care about the people who buy and sell them.”
Morgan is newly married to her husband Brian and are proud owners of two Bernese Mountain dogs. Said Morgan, “They have tons of personality and really keep us on our toes!” When weather permits, the couple are either outside hiking and camping – or working in their extensive garden. Morgan is a self-described foodie at heart and says most weekends you’ll find her experimenting in the kitchen. Both Morgan and her husband’s families live in the Kansas City area – making it easy to enjoy a lot of time together with them as well.
Gin and Orange Juice
Favorite local restaurants and why?
Novel. The food is always amazing and very creative. The service is superb. We felt like regulars by our second visit.
Favorite Hole-in-the-wall bar (or best kept secret bar) and why?
The Boars Head Pub in Wolverhampton. Great cider and centuries of history.
Top 2 Bars and why?
1. The White Hart in Weymoth. Nostalgia, I went there a lot with my family growing up.
2. Fitter’s in Warrensburg. It is a great college bar. Good cheap food and a fun atmosphere.
Favorite liquor store and why?
Washington Street Purveyors. Fun little liquor store in historic downtown Lexington. Good selection and a fun owner.
Favorite meal+wine combos at home?
Duck with and raspberry sauce with a good Pinot Noir
Favorite bottle in my cellar:
Selkie Irish Whisky. Not an incredible whisky but the one that got me into drinking it.
Must haves on my home bar:
Blue Note Bourbon and a nice gin.
Go-to drink to make for friends
Fruit juice, rum, and sparkling water
How I got into the liquor distributor business:
Started in the warehouse and fell in love with the products.
My previous job was:
Assistant Warehouse Manager for the City Union Mission
People think that as a liquor rep I do...
Count product drive a forklift.
What I actually do is…
Help find product, clean, keep track of inventory, clean, organize projects, clean, and load and unload trucks.
What I love about this job is:
The people I work with and all the knowledge I get to learn.
Hometown:
Blacksburg, VA
Neighborhood:
Raytown, KCMO
I like to drink with:
My Wife.
Nobody knows that I:
Have a degree in Military History
Favorite guilty pleasure movie/TV show:
Mr. Right/The IT Crowd
I like to enjoy (favorite drink for this pastime) while enjoying (name pastime).
I like to enjoy a glass of whisky or mezcal while watching bad sitcoms with my wife.
St. Louis, Missouri
In 2001, while working at Remy’s, Michelle completed Level One of the Court of Master Sommeliers (back when there were only 3 levels). Michelle went on to spend 12 years with Missouri Beverage Company (which later became Major Brands), advancing to the role of lead sales rep where she created many deep and lasting relationships with many of the area’s finest wine shops and independent restaurants.
Throughout her lasting career in the wine and spirits industry, Michelle has had the opportunity to travel throughout many of the major wine and spirit regions of the world including Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley in France, the wine regions of Germany, Australia and Scotland, as well as top U.S. vineyards including many in Oregon and California. Michelle also earned the Certified Specialist of Wine designation from the Society of Wine Educators in 2009.
Michelle joined the Vintegrity Wine and Spirits team in 2015 and enjoys sharing her passion for fine wine and craft spirits with St. Louis area restaurateurs, proprietors of wine and spirit shops and, of course, all of the wonderful growers, vintners and distillers Vintegrity represents.
In her spare time, she enjoys golf and fishing with her husband Kevin, a middle school industrial arts teacher. Michelle and her husband love to travel and one of their favorite spots is Hilton Head, South Carolina. When they’re not strolling the beach, they’ve been known to compete in barbeque competitions around the country.
Previously, she spent 10 years in the restaurant industry working at great restaurants building wine & cocktail programs. In 2015, Shannon acquired a Sales Representative position at A. Bommarito wines. After 4 years of hard work, doubling her territory revenue, she became one of the top sales representatives at the company.
In 2019, JP Gilmore reached out to Shannon and offered her a position at Vintegrity Wine & Spirits. Shannon works closely with some of the top restaurants & retailers in St. Louis, Rolla, Washington & Hermann, Missouri. She loves working hard for her customers & helping them create unique wine & cocktail programs. She also loves doing weekly events where she gets to teach consumers more about Wine & Spirits.
Shannon is planning on going for the Advanced Sommelier Certification. There is nothing she loves more than setting goals & then exceeding them. When she is not working, she studies wine books, watches SOMMTV, travels, listens to records on vinyl, hiking, playing golf, or spending time with her fur babies & her partner Jaimie. Shannon also loves to cook and is a total wine nerd who loves sharing her knowledge and passion for food & wine pairings.
In his spare time, Steve likes to run, listen to the latest music from indie bands, and cheer the St. Louis Cardinals and Blues on to victory. He also enjoys exploring new restaurants and films with his wife, Caren, a teacher at Maryville University. Their son Alex keeps the two busy with music performances and cross-country training and the whole family enjoys traveling around the country to visit their many friends and family.
With 15 years of restaurant and spirits industry experience a wealth of knowledge to the team at Vintegrity as a sales rep for the St. Louis area.
Jon was in management at Sweet Tomatoes for 15 years, first as a store manager (where he was twice recognized as “Manager of the Year”), and then as Director of Operations for their West Coast division. “Sweet” was more than the name of the restaurant, it was also at Sweet Tomatoes where Jon also met his own sweet-est: His wife Emily.
After Sweet Tomatoes Jon went on to become Director of Operation for St. Louis Bread Company (now Panera Bread Company) before starting a catering company with his brother-in-law. Jon made a career switch to A. Bommarito Wines and quickly became a top performing sales representative. While at A. Bommarito, Jon became friends with co-worker Shannon Behnen as they shared an interest in a particular wine, Gruet Blanc de Noir.
Time had passed and it turned out Jon’s friend Shannon had left Bommarito to accept a position at Vintegrity. Shannon and Jon later reconnected and in passing, she had shared her excitement over her new role with Vintegrity. Jon liked what he heard about the company and a meeting was set with Vintegrity partner JP Gilmore. And the rest, as they say, is history. Jon became a St Louis Sales Representative.
One of Jon’s favorite things about working for Vintegrity is the importance placed on family. “I like that the company feels like a family and they care about our families, and they know that they come first, and they don’t make me feel like I need to choose between the two,” Jon explained.
Jon said working for Vintegrity has a few other perks as well – including finding a new favorite drink of choice. While his go-to is an Old Fashioned, Jon says he also really enjoys the Koval Oat Whiskey.
Jon and his wife Emily have three children, Madelyn, Logan, and Hudson – who all keep him very busy outside of work! In addition to spending time with his family, Jon also enjoys hunting and watching sports – not to mention playing golf on his favorite course, Porto Cima not to far from where he grew up in the Lake of the Ozarks.
Death in the Afternoon
Favorite local restaurants and why?
Noto, Stone Turtle, Indo. Great food and friendly staff!
Favorite Hole-in-the-wall bar (or best kept secret bar) and why?
Crows Nest- Great Neighborhood Bar!
Top 3 Bars and why?
Yellowbelly, Lucky Accomplice, Blood and Sand- Super creative cocktails.
Favorite liquor store and why?
Primo Vino- Awesome selection and staff.
Favorite meal+wine combos at home?
Burger and Beaujolais.
Favorite bottle in my cellar:
99 Chateau Musar
Must haves on my home bar:
Agave, Rum and Bitters.
Go-to drink to make for friends
Daiquiri
How I got into the liquor distributor business:
Bartender and server who loved wines and spirits but wanted a career with bettter hours and benefits.
My previous job was:
Sales with a different distributor, Classique
People think that as a liquor rep I do...
Drink booze all day. They don’t realize it can be stressful like all other jobs. It is a great job though!
What I actually do is…
Drive a lot and try to answer phone calls and emails when not on road
What I love about this job is:
Meet with awesome people all day to talk about wine, spirits and cocktails.
Hometown:
Grain Valley, MO- Answers both questions I guess. Lived in Westport in College.
Neighborhood:
Grain Valley, MO
I like to drink with:
Friends and family.
Nobody knows that I:
Spend all my free time biking, fishing and camping.
Favorite guilty pleasure movie/TV show:
Rick and Morty
I like to enjoy (favorite drink for this pastime) while enjoying (name pastime).
I like to drink cognac while camping.
Springfield, Missouri
When Roy’s not building positive working relationships with the Vintegrity team, he loves to be outside riding vintage bikes, cruising his boat with his life partner, Alexis, or simply barbecuing with family and friends. Frisbee golf and wine also go hand-in-hand through Roy's eyes. Then again, most things seem to go hand in hand with a glass of fine wine!
In my free time, I enjoy music, art, reading, and hanging out with my wife and our friends.
Lenexa, Kansas
Courtney is married to her wonderful husband, and together they have two sons she absolutely adores. She loves being outside in nature and having trees over her head. She also has a love of cooking and likes to spend time growing veggies in their community garden, and loves to read, do yoga, and see live music.
While working for Kohler, Tina had the opportunity to experience a multitude of different cultures. According to Tina, “That was probably one of my most deeply rewarding jobs. I had the chance to work with so many nationalities – Russian people, Bosnian women, Vietnamese men. It was just a very good early-on job for cultural initiation.”
Tina is originally from the West Coast – California to be specific. After California Tina lived in Portland for over 10 years before moving to Kansas City. In Kansas City, Tina worked at Café Sebastien for nearly a decade, before working for a private caterer for another 10 years.
Tina first met JP Gilmore when she was a manager at Café Sebastien when he came in for a wine tasting event during the early years of Vintegrity. Tina also had worked with another future Vintegrity team member at Café Sebastien, Courtney Foster. Flash-forward a few years, when Courtney Foster reconnected JP and Tina – which led to her joining Vintegrity.
Tina says her favorite part about working for Vintegrity is her relationship with proprietors JP Gilmore and Sean Ball, saying, “I have so much respect and admiration for JP and Sean. They are so nice, and they're just very smart businessmen. They take extremely good care of their employees – I just really feel like I'm home at Vintegrity. It makes me want to work even harder, helping the business and making our customers happy.”
In her personal life, Tina has a 14-year-old son that she’s extremely proud of, “He’s great – really smart, and really sweet.” In her free time Tina likes to road trip to visit her best friend in Montana as often as she can – “I just love adventure!” She also says she enjoys shorter mini-road trips to Lawrence and Arkansas, saying, “It’s fun to just escape and explore!”

While working in Wichita at the Bistro, Chase developed a sincere passion for wine. Chase learned of the job opportunity at Vintegrity when his stepfather saw an advertisement in the Wichita Eagle Beacon. The timing was right for a career move, so Chase applied for the job. One thing led to another and Chase joined Vintegrity. Today Chase serves as a Kansas sales representative for Vintegrity.
Chase is a graduate of Wichita State University where he studied business with an emphasis in marketing. His business and marketing education combined with his years in fine dining provided Chase with the tools he would need to service and grow Vintegrity’s book of business in southeast Kansas. Chase says his favorite part of working at Vintegrity has been expanding and sharing his ever-growing knowledge of wine and spirits with his clientele.
Chase is the third of four children and says his mother serves as a major inspiration to him. Chase also shares his father’s love of sports and his dad taught him the fine points of the game of baseball. Chase said he has fond memories of his family traveling to and from Manhattan for Kansas State football and basketball games while growing up. Today Chase considers himself an avid sports fan and enjoys live sporting events, golfing, and playing pickleball.
Bloody Mary
Favorite local restaurants and why?
Le Fou Frog. Amazing food and atmosphere
Favorite Hole-in-the-wall bar (or best kept secret bar) and why?
Red Eye in Omaha. Stiff, cheap drinks and great people.
Top 3 Bars and why?
Peanut in Mission, Lews, Granfalloon | Great people and always fun
Favorite liquor store and why?
Gomers because that’s where I cut my teeth in the wine business.
Favorite meal+wine combos at home?
Steak, crab, and Rhone wine
Favorite bottle in my cellar:
2000 DRC la Tache
Must haves on my home bar:
Canadian whiskey, Single Malt Scotch
Go-to drink to make for friends
High balls
How I got into the liquor distributor business:
Through Gomers I met Robert Noecker and Doug Frost. Gave me my first gig.
My previous job was:
Employee recognition
People think that as a liquor rep I do...
tastings all day
What I actually do is…
fulfill orders and try to win placements. Take inventory.
What I love about this job is:
Definitely building relationships and helping people succeed in their business.
Hometown:
Treynor, Iowa
Neighborhood:
Farm town
I like to drink with:
All my friends
Nobody knows that I:
have a kick ass wine cellar
Favorite guilty pleasure movie/TV show:
currently Billions
I like to enjoy (favorite drink for this pastime) while enjoying (name pastime).
I like to have Miller High Life while watching football.
I have spent the bulk of my career trying to help people grow their business and achieve their goals both through my positions in the wine industry and employee recognition programs. I enjoy building relationships with people during this process. My wife and I own an in home care company in the Kansas City metro area which she runs daily.
Education:
Bachelors of Science from Northwest Missouri State University and certification of Sommelier.
Kerry has witnessed the process of “Farm-to-Table” in its entirety. While working on the goat farm, Kerry managed the acclaimed Pachamamas Restaurant and Star Bar in Lawrence, Kansas for two and a half years. From there, she moved to manage another Lawrence favorite for five years, 715, the Tuscan-themed neighborhood bistro where many ingredients were sourced from Kansas farms.
Kerry took a short sabbatical from her Lawrence restaurant career to help her grandmother in Michigan. That 10-month sojourn included working at Ann Arbor’s legendary Zingerman’s Creamery – an establishment dedicated to using old world methods to craft handmade cheeses with milk from small-scale regional farmers. According to Kerry, “My job there combined nearly all of my previous experience into one job - managing people, selling specialty cheeses and other fresh goods, great customer service, learning, teaching – and more growth in the hospitality industry.”
Kerry’s move to Vintegrity was not planned but she says, “It was the perfect job at the perfect time.” A former employer knew JP Gilmore and that he was looking for just the right person to join the Vintegrity team. Kerry was put in touch with JP and, after a few rounds of meetings and interviews, the rest was history.
About interviewing and then accepting a sales position at Vintegrity Kerry said, “Right away, I knew I would love Vintegrity because I knew I was joining a company who puts their employees first and clearly has a passion for what they do. I’ve always been passionate about wine and spirits, so this has been a chance to expand my knowledge base and work closely with all my friends in the restaurant industry.”
As for home life, Kerry and her husband Jake have adopted an adorable American Bulldog/Cattle Dog mix named Murph last year who keeps them very busy. The couple loves to travel and cook – in fact, last year they took a two-week trip to Spain and France, eating and drinking their way through as many natural wine and pintxos bars as they could find. When not travelling, they support the restaurant community in both KC and Lawrence – finding friends and inspiration at every turn. Kerry and Jake recently bought a house, so they are spending their time getting settled and dreaming up projects for their new abode, including building their own garden this year.

Keeping consistent with his career aspirations, Michael found his way to Vintegrity, “It was a natural next move, the culture just fit.” His favorite part of being on-the-job is sharing his passion and knowledge of fine wines and craft spirits with customers.
Michael says his love for the work comes from the great brands he and his colleagues represent, says Michael, “The book we represent is awesome!” Michael believes the reason Vintegrity is so successful is because he and his coworkers are all very team oriented.
Michael is a proud parent of “two awesome kids” who are quite active in sports “and make great grades!” In addition to his kids’ academic and extracurricular commitments, Michael really admires their thoughtfulness and caring.
When he’s not enjoying his professional vocation as a sales representative for Vintegrity, Michael enjoys running his ornamental fish breeding business. According to Michael, “It’s a really a fun hobby!”