Industry Leader Dies

David Friedland, chairman of the top beverage alcohol distributor in Nebraska, died on Wednesday, June 11, after a long illness. He was 75.

The son of a wine and spirits retailer, Friedland started to work in the beverage industry in 1955 with Seagram Distillers in New York.  A year later he returned to Chicago to work for Brown Vintners, the Seagram Import Co., and later joined the Munson Shaw Co.

He and his wife, Nancy, met in his hometown of Chicago and were married in 1962. At age 29, Mr. Friedland moved with her to Nebraska to work at United Distillers Products Co., a business that was started by her grandparents in 1893.

In February of 2008, United Distillers became a part of Republic National Distributing Co., the second largest distributor of premium wine and spirits in the United States. Friedland retained his role as chairman and his son, Ted Friedland, retained his role as president of the new organization, called RNDC-Nebraska Eagle Division.

Friedland was past president of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.  He also was past chairman of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation, and a former board member of the Nebraska Humane Society, the Children's Hospital and the Omaha Public Library Foundation.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy, his daughters, Melissa Steiner and Paula Boggust, and his son, Ted, as well as son-in-laws Gary Steiner and Matt Boggust, daughter-in-law Jamie Friedland and eight grandchildren.