Randy Allender

Owner & Manager, R Allender Consulting, LLC

Randy retired in July 2013 from Jim Beam after 24 years of service and with 40+ years of experience in various industries. He opened R Allender Consulting to provide technical advice to those wishing to build a distilled spirits plant. He shares a wealth of knowledge from his expertise in distillery procedures and operations including in areas like mechanics, OSHA workplace requirements, electrical control systems, environmental requirements, and more.

Luis Ayala

COO & Cellar Master, Rum Central

Luis is COO & Cellar Master at Rum Central, Founding Member of Rum Runner Press, President of The Rum University, and Publisher of Got Rum? Magazine - the only monthly publication in the world devoted entirely to rum. Throughout his award-winning career, Luis has relentlessly pursued the establishment and adoption of quality standards in the production and marketing of rum. His appreciation of rum has taken him from being a celebrated author, organizer and judge at international rum festivals, to a creator of new rums.

Dick Barba

Technical Manager, Lallemand

Dick started his career at a rum distillery in Nicaragua, Flor de Caña, serving in roles like Process Engineer and Fermentation Manager. For three years, he was Production Manager at a rum distillery in the Dominican Republic – the main supplier for Barcelo rum. Before moving to Lallemand, Dick worked as a Distillation Specialist for Diageo, leading projects for some of the most important brands in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Zacapa rum and Don Julio tequila.

Matt Baugher

Portfolio Manager, Republic National Distribution Company of Kentucky

Matt has worked in the Wine & Spirits industry for several decades. He currently serves as Brown-Forman's Portfolio Manager for the Republic National Distributing Company of Kentucky (RNDC), which is recognized as the nation's second largest distributor with operations in 23 states. Matt is also a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators.

Jim Baumann II

Commercial Insurance Producer, The Underwriters Group

Jim has been a Commercial Insurance Producer with The Underwriters Group for over a decade, where he designs insurance and risk management programs for small, medium, and large commercial clients. In his line of work, Jim partners with an array of industries, as well as commercial and municipal organizations, many with a national scope - from Food & Beverage to Manufacturing, Energy, Technology & Life Sciences, Commercial Construction, Education, Financial Institutions, Trucking, and Nonprofit Human Services.

Steve Beam

Distiller & President, Limestone Branch Distilleries

Steve is the Co-Founder of small batch craft distillery, Limestone Branch. Along with fellow Co-Founder Paul Beam, the family's ancestral roots run deep in the Bourbon industry thanks to their shared legendary Beam lineage. Today, the pair keep that legacy alive by running Limestone Branch and producing a variety of craft spirits. The small batch Craft distillery is producing a variety of whiskies from heirloom white corn grown on its Marion County property. The first offerings will be T.J. Pottinger corn whiskey and T.J. Pottinger Sugar Shine, with plans for an artisan rum and vodka.

Kristin Carlton

Head of Compliance, Penrose Hill

Kristin serves as Head of Compliance at Penrose Hill, a wine and spirits company in Napa, California. Previously, she worked as Vice President of Client Services at Compli Compliance Services & Software, playing an integral role in the company's growth. There, Kristin represented Compli with major accounts, affiliates, and strategic allies to facilitate the development of new product features. Before joining Compli in 2005, she spent three years as a Compliance Specialist developing her experience in management and marketing.

David Carpenter

Distillery Manager, Jeptha Creed Distillery

David is the Distillery Manager at Jeptha Creed Distillery. Previously, he served as Head Distiller at Jeptha Creed, producing Bourbon, vodka, brandy, and moonshine. David began his career as a Distillery Operator in the Craft Distillery at Jim Beam in Clermont, Kentucky, before transferring to the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse. As Bourbon Ambassador there, he helped Jim Beam bring its craft distillery to downtown Louisville's 4th Street Live.

Gregor Cattanach

Director of Education, Diageo Reserve Brands

Gregor grew up at single-malt distilleries in Scotland, such as Caol Ila, Coleburn, Cragganmore, and Cardhu. While working in Scotland as a Global Brand Ambassador for Diageo's whisky portfolio, Gregor developed a deeper passion for the technical side of distilling. In 2009, he received the Institute of Brewing & Distilling's General Certificate in Distilling before moving to the US to work as Director of Whisky Education at MKTG. In 2016, he joined Enthuse Marketing Group as the Director of Education for Diageo Reserve Brands.

Mark Coffman

Master Distiller & Director of Engineering, Alltech

Over the last few decades, Mark has led the design, construction, commissioning, startup, and operation of 16+ manufacturing facilities around the world. Mark currently leads major expansions for Alltech's Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company as their Director of Engineering, in addition to serving as their Master Distiller.

Larry Coomes

Director of US Sales, JC Ribeiro

Larry is currently the Director of US Sales at JC Ribeiro. Prior to taking on the role, he served as Sales Manager for the company, focusing on packaging solutions for the liquor industry. Previously, he was the Director of Midwest Sales at Saxco International for twenty years, and before that, he held the role of Regional Sales Manager at Lawson Mardon Packaging.

David Dafoe

Founder & CEO, Flavorman and Moonshine University

David founded Pro-Liquitech International in 1992 after being employed at the Brown-Forman Beverage Company where he developed the Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, Pepe Lopez Margarita Mix, Southern Comfort Cocktails and Jack Daniel's Lynchburg Lemonade Mix, among others. David started the company with only one customer and no employees - that quickly changed.

Pro-Liquitech would later become Flavorman, an international custom beverage production company with clients like Chiquita Brands, Ocean Spray and Jones Soda.

In the spring of 2012, David founded Flavorman's sister company on the Beverage Campus in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Founded on Kentucky's rich distilling history and Dafoe's 25 years' experience in the beverage alcohol industry, Moonshine University, an artisan distillery and education center, was designed to provide the education and training, both in the classroom and on equipment in a distillery, enabling startup productions, industry professionals, and those new to the beverage alcohol industry to benefit from the area's wealth of experience and knowledge.

David is a member of the International Society of Beverage Technologists, the Institute of Food Technologists and the World Affairs Council. He volunteers for the Miami University Center for Entrepreneurship, is on the Advisory Board for the College of Arts and Sciences at Miami University, volunteers on the Board of the Louisville Comprehensive Care Multiple Sclerosis Center and is the Board President at his church. He is an avid traveler and has his certificate for Open Water SCUBA.

Greg Davis

Director of Distillery Operations, Jim Beam

Greg spent eight years as the Master Distiller at Maker's Mark, ensuring that every bottle met the highest standards for quality and tradition. During his time there, Greg spearheaded the installation of the distillery's third still and assisted with the brand's expansion. In 2018, Greg joined the team at Jim Beam Clermont and Boston to become the Director of Distillation where he currently focuses on Jim Beam's Small Batch Bourbon Collection.

Kobe Desmet

Brand Ambassador, Tequila Fortaleza

Kobe Desmet is a Belgian that made agave his life and passion. He became a Sprits Importer & Ambassador after a decade of working behind the bar. As he learned more about spirits, Kobe became especially intrigued with agave. This resulted in his pursuit of a Tequila Maestro Diploma from the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT). Later, he would write the book, Tequila & Mezcal: The Complete Guide, before ultimately making his home in Mexico and becoming the Brand Ambassador for Tequila Fortaleza.

Jeremy Dever

VP of Operations, TSS Brands, LLC

Jeremy has 10 years of experience, which started as Distillery Director of Kentucky Artisan Distillery. From there, he honed his skill sets in operations management, co-packing, brand development and management, sourcing of aged spirits and contracted distillation, public relations, and education within the spirits industry. Some of the brands/clients he has worked with; Whiskey Row, Pinhook, Penelope, Bourbon Pursuit, Billy Goat Strut, Jefferons, Jackson Morgan, Highspire, Off Hours, Ole Smoky, American Harvest Org. Vodka.

Jason Dobson

Sales & Creative Director, Contagious

With more than a decade's worth of experience in delivering campaigns for Contagious, Jason is responsible for developing strategic and creative approaches to brand and consumer engagement. As Business & Creative Director, he partners with global and local brand owners, marketing managers and stakeholders to create and deliver disruptive and engaging consumer activations. Specializing within the beverage arena, Jason has worked with clients across the world, including brands like Beefeater, Bushmills, Martell, Absolut, Dobel, Karuizawa, Shiner, and Trumer.

Ronnie Flerlage

Mechanical & Distillation, Shrout Tate Wilson Consulting Engineers

Ronnie Flerlage is a Mechanical Engineer with Shrout Tate and Wilson Consulting engineers. In late 2020, STW made the move to start a distillery consulting department and brought Ronnie on as their full time distillery engineer. Prior to STW, Ronnie worked five years as one of two engineers at Vendome Copper & Brass Works. There, he designed distillation equipment for just about everyone in the industry. In addition to Ronnie’s Masters in Mechanical Engineering, Ronnie has a graduate degree in Environmental Engineering. That steered his graduate studies towards heat transfer, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. His desire to utilize these skills in a rapidly growing environment led him to the distilling industry.

Nancy Fraley

Whiskey & Rum Blender and International Consultant, Nosing Services

Nancy is an expert Whiskey & Rum Blender and Consultant. She manages Nosing Services - a firm based out of Berkeley, California - where she provides custom blending, product formulation services, creation of maturation programs, and sensory analysis for distilleries worldwide. She is also the creator of the American Craft Whiskey Aroma Wheel, a sensory tool for both distillers and whiskey connoisseurs.

Kimberly Frost

Shareholder, Martin Frost & Hill

Kimberly is an Administrative law attorney representing members of the alcoholic beverage industry. Specialties include expertise in Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and U.S. Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade matters and transactions involving the sale or acquisition of an alcoholic beverage permitted operation.

Hubert Germain-Robin

CEO & International Distillation Consultant, Germain-Robin Alambic

Hubert is a world-class Master Distiller, Master Blender, and Consultant. He comes from a generation with a cognac distilling tradition that dates back to 1782 and originated in Cognac, France. Since the early 1980s, Hubert has made Mendocino County, California, his home and has become recognized across America for his brandies and eaux de vie.

Tom Gibson

Director Flavor Architect, Flavorman

Tom Gibson has worked in the flavor industry for more than 25 years and has held roles in quality, production, R&D, and management. He has served as a Flavorist for companies like Weber Flavors and Silesia Flavors, the latter of which he held the title of Vice President of R&D, Quality & Applications for their US operation. In 2002 he was certified as a flavor chemist by the Society of Flavor Chemists, becoming one of only a few hundred to receive this recognition worldwide. Additionally, Tom serves on the tasting panel for Perfumer & Flavorist magazine and is a contributing writer for the Organoleptic Characters of Flavor Materials column. As Director Flavor Architect at Flavorman, Tom strives to bring flavor innovation to all aspects of their beverage development business.

Glenn Glaser

Plant Manager, Brown-Forman Distillery

Glenn began working at Brown-Forman Corporation in 1978. He started as a temporary employee before eventually gaining permanent status as Distillery Supervisor at the Early Times Distillery, later to be renamed Woodford Reserve. In 1997, Glenn was promoted to Distillery Production Manager there, and in 2004, he became Brown-Forman's Distillery Plant Manager. His future plans include retirement and distillery consulting.

Lang Guenther

TTB Specialist (Retired)

Lang is retired from the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB), where he worked for over 12 years in the Distilled Spirits Section at the National Revenue Center (NRC) in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the assigned specialist for several large DSPs, advising and processing amendments to their permits and registrations. In the early 2000s, he saw the rise of the craft movement and processed many original applications from craft distilleries that would later expand to accommodate demand.

Patrick Heist

Co-Owner & Chief Scientific Officer, Wilderness Trail Distillery

Patrick serves as Chief Scientific Officer for Ferm Solutions - a provider of fermentation products and technical support to the fuel and beverage ethanol industries. Together, he and his research team collaborate with industrial and academic partners on projects related to bacteria control during ethanol production, yeast strain selection and improvement, and antibiotic resistance. Patrick is also the Co-Owner of Wilderness Trail Distillery, an expansion of operations at Ferm Solutions.

Wes Henderson

Founder, Angel's Envy

Wes previously served as the Master Ambassador and Chief Innovations Officer at Angel's Envy. Under his guidance, the company has grown both successfully and sustainably. Before he co-founded Louisville Distilling Company, Wes was CEO for Master Distiller Select, where he was responsible for distilled spirits consulting services. Prior to this role, he served as the President & CEO of Conecuh Ridge Distillery.

Joe Heron

Founder, Copper & Kings Distillery

A success story in entrepreneurship, Joe and his wife Lesley started three different beverage businesses in the span of about 10 years. Their first brand, Nutrisoda, was a popular nutrient-enhanced soda line which sold to PepsiAmericas in 2006. Their second brand, Crispin Hard Cider, would later catch the attention of another large beverage brand, MillerCoors, who bought it from them in 2012. The pair's most recent venture is Copper & Kings American Brandy Co., Louisville's only brandy distillery.

David Hobbs

VP of Production, Heaven Hill (Retired)

David was employed at Heaven Hill Distilleries for 41 years before retiring in 2011. During his last fourteen years there, he held the roles of Plant Manager and Vice President of Production. David has also served on the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) Board and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival Board, each for more than ten years.

William Hornaday

Vice President, Kelvin Cooperage

William joined the Kelvin Cooperage team in 2012. He currently serves as the Vice President and has historically served as General Manager and the Director of Production & Quality Control. Before joining Kelvin Cooperage full-time, William interned under the company's Vice Presidents for over a year in order to learn all he could about the business.

John Hudson

President & Founder, Kentucky Spirit Exchange

John works as the President and Founder of the Kentucky Spirit Exchange. Previously John was the Strategic Operations and Marketing at Whiskey Capital Group. Previously, John was the Vice President of Innovation for Brown-Forman's North American region. He was responsible for leading and creating revenue growth opportunities, product development, category entry, route to market and launch models, consumer engagement ideas and solutions, portfolio and brand strategies, market performance and expansion, and consumer trend identification. Previously, John led the company's vodka portfolio and assisted in developing other aspects of its wine and spirits offers.

Pete Kamer

Principal, Distillery Engineering, Barton Brands (Retired)

Pete is a licensed professional engineer who started his distilling career in 1978 at Seagram Distillery in Louisville. In 1985, he went to work for Barton Distillery as their Engineering Manager, retiring in 2011 to start his own engineering company, Distillery Engineering. Since then, Pete has helped small to medium sized distilleries with everything from site and equipment selection, to plant layout, startup, and trouble shooting.

Nathan Kreel

Industry Manager, Univar Solutions

Experienced Project Manager, Team Leader and Technical Sales Representative with a demonstrated history of working in the distilling (biofuels and potable spirits) and beverage (beer, wine, spirits, juice) industries. Skilled in technical science application with enzymes, microbes (yeast and bacteria) and analytical equipment.

Jeff LaHue

Account Manager, Independent Stave

Jeff has worked as Head of Strategic Partnerships at Independent Stave Company (ISC) for several decades. In addition to his responsibilities with the craft distilling industry, Jeff serves as the Global Sales Manager for Stave Associates International, a division of ISC.

David Large

Strategy & Brand Development, Thoroughbred Brands

Having been in and around the spirits business for over a decade, both as an entrepreneur and on the buy-side, David has been involved with dynamic start-ups and large Wall Street firms. Drawing from this experience, he serves as Director of Strategy & Brand Development at Thoroughbred Spirits Group where he facilitates product development, improves operational costs and quality, provides guidance for exit strategies, and more. In addition, David runs Thoroughbred Spirits Partners Fund, one of the first private equity funds focused on the spirits industry.

Ed Larmie

Product Innovation Director, Independent Stave Company

Ed is currently the Product Innovation Director at Independent Stave Company (ISC). Prior to this role, he served as Global Sales Manager for the company's oak alternatives line of the business. Since 1988, Ed has worked with ISC to manage various responsibilities involving wine and spirits barrels.

Robert Lehrman

Principal, Lehrman Beverage Law

Robert is the Principal Attorney at Lehrman Beverage Law. He founded the firm in 2001 after 12 years of specializing in federal and state administrative law. Robert concentrates on the federal regulation of alcoholic beverages and has advised many companies on the production, labeling, advertising, and taxation of a wide variety of consumer products - foreign and domestic, with and without alcohol, fit and unfit for beverage purposes. He is also largely responsible for removing the 100-year US ban on absinthe in 2007, together with the Swiss Embassy and Kubler Absinthe.

Stephen Lukinovich

Director, Mountjoy Chilton Medley

Stephen serves as Director of the Mountjoy Chilton Medley's Construction & Real Estate Services team and member of the Tax Services Department. His practice emphasizes on providing tax advisory services to construction and real estate businesses, company transition services to small to middle market companies, and valuation services in estate and succession planning. In his free time, Stephen is also an active speaker and lecturer on topics related to the Construction and Real Estate industries.

Dan Matauch

Principal & Creative Director, Flowdesign

Dan received his bachelor's degree in Package Design from Michigan State University and MBA in Marketing from the University of Tampa. In 1997, he founded Flowdesign, a firm specializing in branding and package design solutions for the alcoholic beverage industry. Since the inception of Flowdesign, Dan and his in-house group of experienced specialists have helped many companies reach multi-million-dollar sales success through their effective and innovative branding and packaging solutions.

Elizabeth McCall

Assistant Master Distiller, Brown Forman

Elizabeth is Woodford Reserve's Assistant Master Distiller, the second generation of her family to work in the Bourbon industry, and one of the youngest female distillers in the US. Starting out as a sensory expert in quality, Elizabeth has been a member of Brown-Forman's R&D Department since 2009. Today she works directly with Master Distiller Chris Morris and R&D on innovation and the development of new products within Woodford Reserve.

Paul McLaughlin

Vice President & General Counsel, Kelvin Cooperage

Having been around barrels all his life, Paul joined the family business as Vice President & General Counsel at Kelvin Cooperage in 2001. Prior to joining the team, Paul served as an attorney with the international law firm Morrison & Forester. Paul received his bachelor?s degree from Harvard and his J.D. from Notre Dame.

Jason Milne

Creative Director - Environments, Contagious

For over a decade, Jason has served as Creative Director of Environments at Contagious, responsible for delivering strategy led brand homes, visitor centers, and experiences for clients. An expert in the global beverage space, Jason has partnered with brands like Angel's Envy, Michter's, Bombay Sapphire, and more. Prior to joining the team at Contagious, he spent the first 10 years of his career in London as a designer of retail and leisure experiences.

James Moore

Technical Research Scientist, Beam-Suntory

James was initially hired at Jim Beam as an Analytical Chemist. After being promoted to his current role as Technical Research Scientist, he took on the responsibility of being a liaison to plant production in many engineering capacities. James also serves as a member of the Expert Tasting Panel and provides support for the Global Sensory Team, evaluating for defects and sensory thresholds, providing insights and opinions on tasting notes, and preparing standards to train others in the art of tasting.

Ewan Morgan

National Director, Diageo Masters of Whisky

Ewan is a third generation 'whisky man'. Ewan started his career in the Whisky industry at the age of 16 as a Maltman; a job that is only learned by one generation passing the knowledge to the next. Ewan loves sharing his unrelenting passion for whisky. Ewan is noted for his innovative seminars and educational style from practical blending classes to chemistry classes on whisky maturation training both industry and consumers all over the US.

Chris Morris

Master Distiller, Woodford Reserve Distillery

Chris began his career at Brown-Forman in 1976. After gaining additional experience at Glenmore Distilleries Co. and United Distillers, he returned to Brown-Forman in 1997. Later in 2004, Chris would become Brown-Forman's seventh Master Distiller. Since then, he has also served on boards for the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) and Kentucky Bourbon Festival as Co-Chair of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States' (DISCUS) Master Distillers Committee. He is also a regular judge at the International Wine & Spirits Competition and International Spirits Challenge.

Cash Moter

Partner & Architect, Joseph & Joseph Architects

Cash is responsible for major new construction and renovation projects. He specializes in distilled spirits facilities, tour and retail centers, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and sustainable architecture. Cash boasts experience in designing both large and craft brand facilities in urban and rural settings for new construction and adaptive reuse. Some of his previous projects focused on facilities for distilling, filtering, processing, bottling, warehousing, and distribution.

Andrew Mueller

Partner & General Contractor, Cardinal Industries

Andrew is a Partner & General Contractor at Cardinal Industries with expertise in commercial and industrial construction. With extensive knowledge of the high-hazard standards and regulations associated with distillery design and construction, Andrew has helped build distilleries like Moonshine University and Copper & Kings located in Louisville, KY. He is also a graduate of Auburn University.

Sid Mundkur

Senior Consultant & Owner, EtOH Tech Solutions

Sid started his distilling career at Jim Beam, where he served as a Process & Project Engineer before later becoming the Distillery Manager at Booker Noe - Beam's largest distillery. Following a 3-year stint in biofuels technology development, Sid returned to Jim Beam as their Vice President of Corporate Engineering. In 2011, he left the company to start his own consulting business providing design, startup, and optimization services to the beverage and commercial alcohol industries.

Joyce Nethery

Master Distiller, Jeptha Creed Distillery

Joyce earned her Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville's Speed Scientific School, and for 15 years, she worked as a Process Engineer in industrial-scale distillation. She then spent a decade teaching high school chemistry and physics before her husband's dream of opening a distillery reignited her own passion for the art and science of distillation. Today, she serves as the Co-Founder and Master Distiller at Jeptha Creed Distillery.

Tom Niekamp

Attorney, Niekamp & Associates

For over two decades, Tom has worked in Cincinati, Ohio, in the Assistant Chief Counsel's Office for the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) and its predecessor, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). With TTB, Tom has served as Senior Counsel, handling a wide variety of complex legal matters. As ATF Senior Counsel, he handled an extensive array of civil administrative licensing and tax issues.

Jimmy Owens

Craft Spirits Manager, Liquor Bottle Packaging

Jimmy serves as the Craft Spirits Manager at Liquor Bottle Packaging, where he specializes in providing glass packaging solutions for craft brands. From stock and custom bottling to decoration, closures, and more, Jimmy helps clients by drawing on his additional 18 years of experience serving as Craft Spirits Manager at Saxco International.

Joy Perrine

Professor Emeritus, Moonshine University

Most bar owners can only dream of the kind of experience Joy brought to the proverbial table, but this grand dame of bartending had it in spades. Esquire.com's "Bad Girl of Bourbon," Joy was a passionate and tireless advocate for the distilling industry, and her spirit will be greatly missed.

Rob Pinson

Partner, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP

Rob is a Partner at Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis. He concentrates his practice in the field of alcoholic beverage law with an emphasis on the manufacturing tier and business, tax, and campaign finance law. He currently provides legal representation for a number of distilleries, wineries, and breweries across the US, in addition to pro bono counsel for the Tennessee Distillers' Guild.

Scott Reid

President, This Way Forward

Scott is a global sales and marketing professional with over two decades of beverage industry experience. His success in creating new brands, as well as in leading and growing large consumer franchises, led him to become Managing Director of This Way Forward Beverage Consultancy. Previously, Scott served in brand management leadership roles with major companies like Brown-Forman and Jack Daniel's.

Susan Reigler

Bourbon Writer & Educator

Susan is an award-winning educator and writer, and current President of the Bourbon Women Association. She co-authored The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book and More Kentucky Bourbon Cocktails. From 1992 to 2007, she served as the restaurant critic, beverage columnist, and travel writer for the Louisville Courier-Journal and other periodicals. An Executive Bourbon Steward, Susan has been a judge for craft spirits awards and numerous Bourbon cocktail contests, and she regularly helps restaurants and retailers select barrels from distilleries.

Robin Robinson

Founder & Principal, Robin Robinson LLC

Robin is a private consultant to the craft spirits industry, specializing in creating custom whiskey education for sales organizations and helping small brands identify their unique narratives. Prior to that, Robin was instrumental at the Compass Box Whisky Co. as its US Brand Ambassador and Brand Manager. During his time in this role, he was responsible for sales, retail, and consumer education, as well as developing multi-tiered relationships through social networks and field marketing events, tastings, pairing dinners, seminars, festivals, and more.

Don Rodgers

Distillation Consultant, Rodgers Consulting

As a Distillation Consultant at Rodgers Consulting, Don is a financial executive with broad experience in all aspects of accounting, auditing, and financial management. He has direct experience with corporate and manufacturing accounting, as well as the integration of new acquisitions into existing business models. Using his expertise in budget and forecasting tools, Don has negotiated numerous contracts on software, consulting, and application support.

Jerry Rogers

Owner, Party Mart

After 20 years in the wholesale liquor and wine business as the exclusive distributor for brands such as Maker's Mark and Buffalo Trace, Jerry purchased the Party Mart Liquor Store and eventually expanded out to 4 stores before they became part of the Blue Rose Spirits Liquor Store Group. His unique stores offer custom bottle engraving, fun hand-painted bottles, and more. In 2012, he was also named Brown-Forman's "Off Premise Retailer of the Year."

Jimmy Russell

Master Distiller, Wild Turkey Bourbon Distillery

Jimmy began his career at the Wild Turkey Bourbon Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and has been there ever since. In 1954, he began his training under the likes of Wild Turkey's second Master Distiller, Bill Hughes. As a 60-plus-year whiskey veteran, Jimmy is now the longest-tenured, active Master Distiller in the global spirits industry. He has received recognition as a member of the Whiskey and Kentucky Bourbon Halls of Fame, and been anointed a Kentucky Colonel by three standing Governors, including Paul E. Patton, Ernie Fletcher, and Steve Beshear.

Bill Samuels, Jr.

Chairman Emeritus, Maker's Mark

As the son of Maker's Mark founders Margie and Bill Samuels Sr., Bill is the 7th generation of the Samuels family to own and manage a Kentucky Bourbon distillery. Before serving as President and CEO of Maker's Mark for 36 years, he was educated as an aerospace engineer, physicist, and attorney. He retired and now serves as Chairman Emeritus for the brand while his son, Rob, manages the business as Chief Operating Officer.

Matt Scanlan

Senior Director of Government & Community Affairs, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Matt works as the Senior Director of Government and Community Affairs. He was a Partner at GRSM Law, a legal practice focused primarily on alcoholic beverage regulation. Matt specializes in representing clients before the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), various beer boards throughout the state, the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB), and the Tennessee General Assembly. Matt serves as regulatory counsel for national alcoholic beverage manufacturers and retailers of alcoholic beverage products, and provides general counsel to the Tennessee Distiller's Guild and the Tennessee Hospitality Association.

Scott Schiller

Managing Director, Thoroughbred Spirits Group

A fifth-generation distiller and Managing Director of Thoroughbred Spirits Group, Scott has over 20 years of experience in the distilling business. Having owned two of his own distilleries and overseen the development of 20 others and more than 50 brands, he provides invaluable overall experience to any spirits project. Scott is an expert in creating strategies to mitigate risks in startup and emerging spirits businesses and managing brand portfolios of all sizes. In addition, Scott assisted in the concept and operational design behind Moonshine University.

Dave Scott

Owner, President & CEO, Boxing Clever

For 16+ years, Dave served as agency leader of Boxing Clever. He has built, managed, and grown relationships with some of the world's most prestigious B2C and B2B brands. With experience in almost every role - Designer, Writer, Creative Director, Studio Artist, Strategist, and Account Director - Dave found and nurtured his passion for the stories and people behind the Beverage & Spirits Industry. From global leaders to challenger brands, innovators and startups, his career portfolio includes experience in almost every method of marketing engagement.

Leo Sharkey

Partner, Echo Chamber Consulting

Leo is a Consultant and Owner of Shark Analytics and Echo Chamber Consulting who specializes in helping startups and small businesses. His passion for business plans was developed coaching 9 years of teams for a University of Minnesota competition. He has also taught social entrepreneurship workshops in Thailand, Uganda, and Rwanda. Leo is a serial entrepreneur and is currently writing a business plan for a Massachusetts farmer distiller's license.

Mike Sherman

Co-Owner & Vice President, Vendome Copper & Brass Works

Mike is the Co-Vice President and 4th generation Co-Owner of Vendome Copper & Brass Works - a full-service custom metal fabricator for industrial and commercial processing equipment that has been operating continuously in Louisville, Kentucky, since the early 1990s. Mike has worked in all areas at Vendome since joining the team in 1989, but today his primary roles include Sales and Engineering.

Rob Sherman

Co-Owner & Vice President, Vendome Copper & Brass Works

Rob is the Co-Vice President and 4th generation Co-Owner of Vendome Copper & Brass Works - a full-service custom metal fabricator for industrial and commercial processing equipment that has been operating continuously in Louisville, Kentucky, since the early 1990s. Mike has worked in all areas at Vendome since joining the team in 1987, but today his primary roles include Shop Operations, Distillation Sales, and Design.

Jerry Siegler

Sales Manager, Tricor Braun

Jerry is a Sales Manager at Tricor Braun with over three decades of experience working in the packaging and containers industry. His areas of expertise include rigid packaging, business development, plastics, sales management, and cross-functional team leadership.

Scott Smith

Founder, Smith Management Group

Scott founded Smith Management Group in 1989. Since then, he has focused on air, water, and waste management, as well as safety and industrial hygiene. In addition to his extensive consulting experience, he has served in Kentucky's Environmental and Public Protection departments as Chief of Staff, Executive Director for Regulatory Affairs, and Acting Executive Director for Kentucky's Environmental Quality Commission.

Donald Snyder

President & Senior Consultant, Whiskey Systems Online

Donald is Founder & President at Whiskey Systems Online where he shares knowledge gained from over two decades of experience managing operations and supply chains in the alcohol and beverage industries. Previously, he served in senior management roles at the Buffalo Trace Distillery and MGPI. Since leaving the corporate world, Donald now focuses his efforts on helping craft distilleries create start-up business models, optimize their Cost of Goods Sold, automate distillery operations tracking, and ensure TTB reporting compliance and audit preparedness.

Gregg Snyder

CEO, Distilled Spirits Consulting

Gregg is the CEO of Distilled Spirits Consulting, where he shares almost four decades of operations experience. He has worked for companies like Western Spirits, Wild Turkey, Brown-Forman, Blue Grass Cooperage, Jim Beam, and Joseph E. Seagram and Sons. Gregg has also served as Chairman for the Kentucky Distiller's Association (KDA), and has been on the KDA Board of Directors, as well as boards for the Associated Cooperage Industries of America, Kentucky Bourbon Festival, and Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

Chad Spalding

Account Manager & Bourbon Quality Assurance, Independent Stave Company

Chad has worked at Independent Stave Company (ISC) since 1998. For over two decades, he has served as an Account Manager focusing on Quality Assurance & Customer Relations. Prior to his position at ISC, Chad studied at Eastern Kentucky University, where he received his Bachelor's degree.

Peggy Stevens

Founder & President, Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates

Peggy is the Founder and President of Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates. She began her career in hospitality and marketing with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, engaging in all aspects of guest services and professional event planning with the highest standards in culinary arts and entertaining. Peggy then moved to the Brown-Forman Corporation to lead a newly developed travel and event planning department. As their Global Event Planner, she managed over 100 events annually, negotiated multi-million-dollar travel contracts, and enhanced all aspects of travel, customer service, entertaining protocol, and hospitality for executives.

Mary Stone

Owner, Grant Door

Mary is the Owner and Grant Writer for Grant Door, whose mission is to help non-profits achieve their goals through seeking and writing grants. Mary formerly held the role of Vice President of Operations for Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates. Prior to that position, she served as Homeplace Operations Manager for Brown-Forman.

Matt Strickland

Founder, District Distilling

Matt has worked in the Beer, Wine & Spirits industries since 2012. At Corsair Artisan Distillery, he functioned as Head of R&D in Nashville, Tennessee, before becoming Head Distiller at District Distilling Company in Washington DC. From there, Matt moved to Canada to be Head Distiller at Distillerie Cote Des Saints while also offering services and consultation assistance through his business, DRAM.

Jeff Stum

Lead Consultant, Spicewood Branding

After a successful, 11 years at Brown-Forman as Assistant Brand Manager for Southern Comfort, Jeff became the Founder, former Director of Sales & Marketing, and majority Owner of Rooibee Red Tea - a thriving, Kentucky Proud brand now available for nationwide distribution. Following his role with Rooibee, Jeff took on a Partner-level position as Lead Consultant at Spicewood Branding where he offers branding, sales, and marketing consulting services.

Carson Taylor

President, Peerless Distilling

Fifth generation to Peerless founder Henry Kraver, Carson was a successful business owner when he chose to follow his passion of reviving a family legacy with his father and Peerless Owner, Corky Taylor. From the structural foundation of the distillery as it exists today, to the quality spirits crafted within its walls, Carson has, as President of Peerless Distilling, poured his heart into every element of the brand.

Justin Thomas

President, G&D Chillers

Justin started working for G&D Chillers, manufacturers of process chilling systems, in 1995 during the founding year of the company. In 2006, he purchased G&D Chillers and has since then continued to successfully grow the business by focusing primarily on the winery, brewery, and distillery markets.

David Timmons

Founder, Timmons Spirits Science

David is the founder of Timmons Spirits Service. Previously, he spent his career as a Senior Chemist at Brown-Forman who was responsible for developing the company's extensive quality testing methods. His career with the beverage giant began in 2004 as a Chemistry Intern on the R&D team. Since then, David has refined his expertise in the chemical and sensory properties of whiskey, grains, flavorings, and other raw materials used in the production of distilled spirits. Additionally, David boasts a 10-plus-year background in international regulatory compliance with TTB chemist certifications in spirits, wine, and beer.

Scott Timms

Engineer, G&D Chillers

Scott acquired his Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Texas at Austin before working in the Petrochemical, Oil & Gas industries for 6 years. During this time, he explored home brewing extensively, and decided to make a career change. He moved to Oregon to work for Falling Sky Brewing for another 6 years, moving from Cellar Operator up to Production Manager. He now serves as an Engineer at G&D Chillers, where he specializes in distillery chiller selection and sizing.

Paul Tomaszewski

Co-Founder & Head Distiller, MB Roland Distillery

Paul Tomaszewski opened MB Roland Distillery in late 2009. Since then, distribution for its products has expanded to more states, with a primary focus on the immediate region in and around Kentucky. In addition to Co-Founding and overseeing the distillery as Head Distiller, Paul serves as the Chairman of the Craft Advisory Group for the Kentucky Distillers? Association (KDA). He has also played a role in integrating Kentucky craft distillers into events such as the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

Paul Tuell

Founder, Saloon Spirits and Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey

Paul is a sales and marketing professional with a 25-year record of success in growing brand equity for some of the industry's largest F&B brands. In 2015, he founded Louisville-based Saloon Spirits, which gave life to its first brand, Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey. Working with custom beverage development company Flavorman, Paul developed the approachable, yet vibrantly flavored line of versatile whiskey-based beverages accented with familiar chocolate expressions. Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey hit retail shelves in Kentucky and South Carolina in November of 2015 and has since expanded to distribution in 15 states.

Michael Veach

Owner, BourbonVeach

Michael is one of the foremost authorities on all things Bourbon. After almost two decades serving The Filson Historical Society as Bourbon Historian and Author, he decided to pursue his own consultancy business, BourbonVeach. Michael has been featured in The Bourbon Review and The Louisville Encyclopedia, and has published the book, Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage. Prior to his long tenure at The Filson, Veach spent five years as the North American Archivist for United Distillers. In 2006, he was inducted into The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.

Andrew Webber

CEO & Distiller, Corsair Artisan Distillery

Andrew is the Co-Founder of Corsair Artisan Distillery. Serving as CEO and Head Distiller, he spends his time prototyping experimental spirits and managing Corsair?s daily operations. Andrew?s signature is using unusual ingredients in traditional distillations to yield novel, bold flavors in Corsair?s spirits.

Molly Wellmann

Co-Owner, Wellmann's Brands

Molly is a self-taught mixologist, entrepreneur, and author from Cincinnati, Ohio, who has immersed herself in the knowledge of craft, classic cocktails and fine spirits. She is the Co-Owner and Operator of Wellmann's Brands, whose portfolio includes co-ownership of Japp's Since 1879, The Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Myrtle's Punch House, Melt Eclectic Cafe Northside, Bottle & Basket Catering, and Melt Eclectic Cafe CAC.

Kristen Wemer

Director, Technical Services

Kristen has been with Flavorman since 2012 working in research and development, creating beverages in every category in the industry. Kristen has a degree in Food Science from the University of Kentucky. She previously worked for Zentis Food Solutions North America and Yum! Brands in R&D, sensory, and nutrition roles.

Lisa Wicker

CEO & Master Distiller Lyons Brewing & Distilling

Lisa is CEO & Master Distiller Lyons Brewing & Distilling. Lisa has also served as President, Head Distiller, and Head Blender at Widow Jane Distillery, as well as the Distiller and Owner of consultancy firm, Saints & Monsters. A commercial winemaker turned craft distiller, Lisa has worked at several operations in many fundamental areas of the industry. She was recruited to oversee the construction of Bardstown's Preservation Distillery in 2015. From time to time, Wicker also serves as Consulting Distiller at George Washington's Distillery in Mount Vernon.

Andrew Wiehebrink

Director of Spirit Research & Innovation, Independent Stave Company

As Director of Spirit Research & Innovation, Andrew works closely with Independent Stave Company's distilling customers to push the envelope of what is possible in the world of spirits production. In addition to creating and testing new products, Andrew designs experiments and conducts research to advance the understanding of whiskey maturation, barrel performance, and alternative barrel construction.

Mary Beth Williams

President, Williams Compliance

Mary Beth has worked for years in the public sector and private practice as an attorney. She served as the Associate General Counsel in the Virginia State Corporation Commission which, combined with her background as a Deputy District Attorney in Colorado, provided her with great perspective and understanding regarding enforcement issues. Based on her background and experience, Mary Beth founded Williams Compliance where she serves as President.

Richard Wolf

Professor Emeritus, Moonshine University

Richard specializes in the beverage alcohol and allied industries as a consultant and international broker of bulk Bourbon as Richard wolf served as Managing Principal of Wolf Consulting. He was the former Vice President General Manager at Sazerac, an active member of the American Distilling Institute (ADI), and served as Chairman of the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA). He was also recognized as a proud Kentucky Colonel and former US Marine.

Roger Woods

Principal, Echo Chamber Consulting

In addition to being a Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at Michigan Technological University, Roger is the Founder & Principal of Homer Productivity, a consulting business that specializes in working with small businesses and startups. With a true passion for market research, he has also been helping craft distillers and brewers develop business plans and operations procedures as a Principal at Echo Chamber Consulting.

Brian Wright

Senior Process Engineer, PQ Corporation

As Manager of Distillery Operations at MGP Ingredients, Brian was responsible for leading plant operations at the distillery based in Atchinson, Kansas. One of his primary job functions involves driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance plant efficiencies. Prior to being promoted from the role of Process Engineer in Distillery Operations at the company, he served as Plant Engineer and Maintenance Manager at Abengoa Bioenergy Corporation's Ravenna.

Chris Zaborowski

Co-Owner, Westport Whiskey & Wine

Chris has been the Co-Owner of Westport Whiskey & Wine since 2008. Prior to this role, he served as Category Manager & Wine Buyer for Bigg's and Chief Operating Officer for Peptides International. Before that, Chris held the position of Vice President of Marketing for Commonwealth Wine & Spirits, where he designed and implemented a market-specific system of brand standards for the statewide distributor.

Sara Zborovski

Partner, Stikeman Elliott

Sara provides legal counsel to the industries regulated by Health Canada, which include F&B, Cannabis, Natural Health Products, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device industries. She assists clients in navigating the regulatory landscape. She specializes in advocating before Health Canada, Federal Court review of regulatory decisions, lobbying, and in navigating Canada's Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) regulations. She currently holds a Partner-level position with Stikeman Elliot in Toronto.