The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) announces the re-election of Chris Montana, Owner of Du Nord Craft Spirits (MN), as the President of the Board of Directors. He has served as the organization’s president since April 2018. Maggie Campbell, President of Privateer Rum (MA), has also been re-elected as the organization’s Vice President and Colin Keegan of Santa Fe Spirits (NM) will again serve as Secretary/Treasurer. Together, Montana, Campbell, and Keegan and the newly-elected and re-elected Board of Directors will work with CEO Margie A.S. Lehrman to address the key issues facing the craft distilling industry.
“I am honored to be chosen by my peers within craft distilling community for another term as president, and I am excited to build on last year’s progress,” said Chris Montana. “In 2018, we restructured our educational offerings and convention to provide more value for start-up and smaller distilleries while continuing to work at the federal level on excise tax and regulations. 2019 will see the unveiling of a new publication, designed by distillers both for distillers and our friends within the industry, as well as new initiatives focused on new distilleries, diversity, supporting state distiller’s guilds, excise tax reform, and legislative support for individual state issues.”
The Board of Directors will also be appointing leadership to its governing committees within the next few weeks. Those committees include Membership, Ethics, Convention, Education, Elections, Safety, ACSA PAC, Judging, Legislative Affairs, State Guilds, Technology, and Development.
The 2019 Board of Directors is comprised of the following individuals:
EAST
Maggie Campbell, Privateer Rum Distillery (MA)
Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek (VA)*
James Montero, Dogfish Head Distilling Co. (DE)
Ryan Christiansen, Caledonia Spirits (VT)
CENTRAL & MOUNTAIN
Amber Pollock, Backwards Distilling Co. (WY)
Colin Keegan, Santa Fe Spirits (NM)
Colton Weinstein, Corsair Artisan Distillery (TN)*
Courtney McKee, Headframe Spirits (MT)
Chris Montana, Du Nord Craft Spirits (MN)
Thomas Motes, Balcones Distillery (TX)*
PACIFIC
Dan Farber, Osocalis Distillery (CA)*
Jake Holshue, Old Trestle Distillery (CA)
Jeff Kanof, Copperworks Distilling Co. (WA)
Molly Troupe, Freeland Spirits (OR)
P.T. Wood, Wood’s High Mountain Distillery (CO)**
EX OFFICIO
Ex Officio – Thomas Jensen, New Liberty Distillery (PA)
*New board appointment
**Term ended, re-elected another term
ASCA would also like to thank the visionary Board Members who have completed their elected terms, including Melkon Khosrovian, Greenbar Distillery, CA; Dan Garrison, Garrison Brothers Distillery, TX; and Mark Shilling, Treaty Oak Brewing and Distilling, TX.
Board elections, which were supervised and certified by Renee Bemis, Driftless Glen (WI) and Jeff Wuslich of Cardinal Spirits (IN), were held last month, with close to 70% of voting members casting ballots, while officers were chosen by the full board last week.
