In Memory of Bennett Glazer

McCombs Hall of Famer and beverage industry giant led with vision, compassion

Bennett Glazer, BBA ’68, a visionary executive in the beverage alcohol industry and a devoted Longhorn, passed away April 20 at the age of 80. A 2024 inductee into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame, Glazer is remembered for his transformative leadership, his generosity, and the unmistakable warmth he brought to every relationship.

A pillar of a family whose name became synonymous with excellence in beverage distribution, Glazer guided Glazer’s Inc. through decades of growth. He played a central role in the 2016 merger of the company’s wine and spirits business with Southern Wine & Spirits, creating Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, now the nation’s largest distributor. He also led Glazer’s Beer & Beverage, strengthening it into a major regional distributor and extending the family’s legacy in the industry.

Glazer’s leadership was defined by decisiveness and instinct. “That window only opens for a short time … The key to leadership is acting when the opportunity is there,” he said in a video interview for his Hall of Fame induction.

But colleagues and family members say his greatest strength was his heart. “I’m often asked what I’m most proud of in 56 years in this industry. It’s people. We have people who would rather come work for Glazer than for a Fortune 500 company,” Glazer said. “It is a great feeling to have a company that people want to be a part of.”

In a letter to the McCombs Dean’s Advisory Council, Dean Lillian Mills said Glazer embodied the best of Texas business leadership. “Bennett led with both vision and compassion,” she wrote. “He built companies, but he also built people. His humor, his generosity, and his belief in others left a lasting mark on everyone who knew him.”

Glazer’s connection to UT Austin ran throughout his life. Reflecting on the Texas Cowboys’ credo at his Hall of Fame induction, he said, “You give the best you have to the University, and the best will come back to you.”

Read his full obituary here.

Story by Sandra Kleinsasser