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 issues facing the craft distilling industry, including the organization’s continued push for direct-to-consumer shipping (DTC).
These ACSA elections mark a first in drinks industry history, as an 100% women-identifying-led board will steer a national trade association, the organization says.
Additionally, women now comprise 40% of the elected Board of Directors.
ACSA also announced the results of their 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,” says Harris.
Adds Lehrman, “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.”
Following these elections, the ACSA Board of Directors will also appoint 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, includes the following individuals:
EAST
- Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distillery (VA)
- Jessica Lemmon, Cart/Horse Distilling (PA)
- Tom Potter, New York Distilling (NY)
CENTRAL & MOUNTAIN
- Amber Pollock, Backwards Distilling Co. (WY) (reelected)
- Mark 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 Distillery (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).
The American Craft Spirits Association is a nationally registered non-profit trade association representing the U.S. craft spirits industry. Its mission is to elevate and advocate for the community of craft spirits producers, and membership in ACSA is open to anyone.
