Victor G. Harvey and V.Georgio Vodka Take Over Miami

Premier Guide Miami's Veronika Pozmentier sits down with Victor G. Premier Guide Miami sat down to find out what that means — and what comes next.

It was the V.Georgio Vodka Takes Over Miami Grand Celebration at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Resort on September 4th, and the invitation promised an evening with the world's elite. Victor G. Harvey Sr., Chairman and CEO of V.Georgio World Brands, Inc., was there in person to welcome VIPs and celebrity friends. When Premier Guide Miami's Veronika Pozmentier arrived at the Blade Pool, Harvey was already moving through the space with the focused energy of a man who leaves nothing to chance — especially after a big storm had nearly washed out the event entirely.

Once the celebration got underway, Harvey — elegant in a white suit and red shirt — led us to a poolside cabana for an exclusive conversation.

PGM: The slogan of V.Georgio Vodka is 'The Spirit of Ocean Drive' — what do you put behind that slogan?

Victor G. Harvey: My office is in Miami, I live in Miami, I love Miami, and my friends are in Miami. The slogan reflects everything we love and gain from this city. There is a lifestyle on Ocean Drive — a stylish, sexy, fun, tropical, hot atmosphere you find nowhere else in the world. My vodka is all about that for the world's elite. It is synonymous with luxury, elegance, and class.

PGM: A lot of hip-hop and music celebrities have been hired to represent vodka brands — was that a trend you wanted to follow?

VGH: The entertainment industry can sometimes endorse everything without actually living it. I am the only African-American in the world to own a liquor company. I am proud of that — it is hard work, but it is fun. I also noticed a void in the market for a new vodka that brings something fresh to the consumer, not just in terms of quality and taste but in terms of ambiance and image.

PGM: Did your background in the music industry help you in this business?

VGH: What I learned from the entertainment industry is that you need to be surrounded by the best people to achieve your goals. For this challenge I am working with the best — from my lawyer and business partner to the team at my distillery in Charleston, North Carolina, to the people who market the brand and organize the events.

PGM: The vodka market is extraordinary — deals are enormous. How do you feel about being a newcomer?

VGH: In any business you have to see times changing and stay relevant to reach the top. We did not get into this business to be one more brand coming out. In the next five years we will be number one in the premier spirits market.

PGM: Will you ever go back to music or the stage?

VGH: Music is in my blood — I am an artist. But I will never sing or get back on stage. I am involved with a lot of artists; I work with them, encourage them, help them with my experience. But no stage anymore.

PGM: V.Georgio World Brands is a conglomerate of luxury lifestyle products. What are your next steps?

VGH: We are waiting for better economic times to expand our hotel investments. We have launched a line of candles called Scent by V.Georgio, a clothing line may follow, and we are working on a spirits line including tequila, rum, and cognac. But vodka is our present focus.

Victor G. Harvey's first hit in 1993 as singer Tai-Pan was 'Can't Stop It' — and that title still applies. The entrepreneur cannot stop working and building an international glamorous brand. Spend any time with him and you understand the passion, strength, and charisma behind everything he does.

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