The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) this week announced the re-election of Becky Harris of Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. (VA) as the President of the Board of Directors. She has served as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2019, and as President since 2020. Gina Holman, of J. Carver Distillery (MN) and Jessica Lemmon of Cart/Horse Distilling (PA) have also been elected as the organization’s Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer, respectively. Together, Harris, Holman, Lemmon and the current and newly-appointed Board of Directors will work with CEO Margie A.S. Lehrman to address the key issues facing the craft distilling industry, including the organization’s continued push for direct-to-consumer shipping (DTC). The elections mark a first in drinks industry history, as an 100% women-identifying-led board will steer a national trade association. Additionally, women currently comprise 40 percent of the elected Board of Directors. ACSA is also proud to announce the results of our national election for Board of Director members, adding three new members with another two returning.
“I am honored to be selected again by my fellow board members, a group of incredible leaders within our craft distilling community, as president, and I am excited to continue the incredible momentum behind our industry on the heels of our Federal Excise Tax (FET) victory and the slow, but changing direct shipping ecosystem,” said Harris, as she begins her second term as president.
Lehrman added, “As a woman in drinks, particularly at a trade association level, today marks an important milestone as we announce the election of our first-ever women-led Board. Though ACSA remains focused on critical industry issues such as parity, tax reform, trade, and direct shipping, we continue to pour our hearts and efforts into the STEPUP Foundation, the 501(c)3 non-profit immersive internship program we helped create late last year. Through STEPUP, our work is narrowly focused on an important mission: to change the face of the drinks industry, one intern at a time. While we still have so much work to do – particularly within the communities that have been most marginalized historically – we are beginning to see a shift in drinks.”
Departing the board after the completion of their terms are Ryan Christiansen of Caledonia Spirits in Montpelier, Vermont and Molly Troupe of Freeland Spirits in Portland, Oregon. We’d like to extend our thanks to Ryan and Molly for their years of service to the board and their ongoing contributions to ACSA.
Following these elections, the ACSA Board of Directors will also be appointing leadership to its governing committees. Those committees include Membership, Ethics, Convention, Education, Elections, Safety, ACSA PAC, Mentorship, Judging, Government Affairs, State Guilds, Technology, Finance, DtC and Development.
The 2022 Board of Directors, representing the craft spirits industry nationwide, is comprised of the following individuals:
EAST
Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. (VA)
Jessica Lemmon, Cart/Horse Distilling (PA)
Tom Potter, New York Distilling (NY)
CENTRAL & MOUNTAIN
Amber Pollock, Backwards Distilling Co. (WY) (reelected)
Mark A. Vierthaler, Whiskey Del Bac (AZ) (newly elected)
Colin Keegan, Santa Fe Spirits (NM)
P.T. Wood, Wood’s High Mountain Distillery (CO)
Colton Weinstein, Corsair Artisan Distillery (TN)
Thomas Mote, Balcones Distillery (TX)
Gina Holman, J.Carver Distillery (MN)
PACIFIC
Jeff Kanof, Copperworks Distillery (WA) (reelected)
Kelly Woodcock, Westward Whiskey (OR) (newly elected)
Lucy Farber, St. George Spirits (CA) (newly elected)
Dan Farber, Osocalis Distillery (CA)
Jake Holshue, Rogue Ales & Spirits (OR)
EX OFFICIO
Thomas Jensen, New Liberty Distillery (PA)
The national digital election was administered over the past month with the help of the Election’s Chair, Renee Bemis, Driftless Glen Distillery (WI) and Jeff Wuslich, Cardinal Spirits (IN).