| Jonathan Newman | |
| Birth Name: | Jonathan H. Newman |
| Education: | Juris Doctor |
| Alma Mater: | University of Pennsylvania Law School Bowdoin College |
| Occupation: | CEO, Newman Wines & Spirits |
| Known For: | Oenophilia |
| Credits: | , which produces label "Notable credit(s)"; or by |
| Works: | , which produces label "Works"; or by |
| Label Name: | , which produces label "Label(s)" --> |
| Office: | may be used as an alternative when the label is better rendered as "Office" (e.g. public office or appointments) --> |
| Website: | Jonathan Newman bio |
Jonathan Newman is an American businessman, lawyer, and former Chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. He is currently the chief executive of Newman Wines & Spirits, a wine brokerage he founded in 2008.[1]
Newman was raised in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Bowdoin College summa cum laude[2] and earned his J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.[3]
After law school, Newman began working for the law firm Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel.[3] Newman has a passion for horses and bought his first racehorse at the age of 29 for $47,000. He raced the horse nine times and won $120,000 in purses before selling the horse for $400,000.[4] He would later serve as the Chairman for the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission where he limited the use of whips in harness racing.[5] He entered politics in 1998 at the age of 35 when he challenged Jon D. Fox for his seat on the Pennsylvania House of Representatives,[6] losing in a four-way primary. He was approached in 1999 about joining the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.[3] Newman was appointed to the board by Tom Ridge in 2000.[3] He served on the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for over seven years and became Chairman in August 2002.[7] He spent the first two years of his appointment learning about the state liquor system and wine.[3] During his time with the Board he implemented programs that helped Pennsylvania become a world-class purveyor in wines, including Sunday sales, wine festivals, and premium collection state stores.[8] One of the most known programs was the "Chairman's Selection" where he used the state's purchasing power to buy premium wines that were sold to the public at discount prices.[9] [10] In 2003 he was named Man of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine for his work at the board.[3] He left the Liquor Control Board in 2007 and founded Newman Wines & Spirits.[7] The company purchases quality wines at a savings and sells them to retailers who pass the savings to customers.[11] [12]