ACSA elects first fully female-led board

The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) has elected its first fully female-led board.

Becky Harris, from Catoctin Creek, VA, was re-elected as the national trade organisation's president following elections earlier this month. Meanwhile, Gina Holman of J. Carver Distillery, MN, and Jessica Lemmon of Cart/Horse Distilling, PA, were elected as vice president and secretary/treasurer respectively.

The trio, along with current and newly appointed ACSA directors, will work with CEO Margie Lehrman to address key issues facing the craft spirits industry in the US, including its continued push for reforms to direct-to-consumer shipping (DTC).

As well as being the first time the association has had an all-female-led board, women now comprise 40 per cent of the elected board of directors.

Harris, who has served as ACSA president since 2020, said: "I am honoured to be selected again by my fellow board members, a group of incredible leaders within our craft distilling community, as president. 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."

Lehrman said: "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 non-profit immersive internship programme we helped to create last year."

27 April 2022 - Bethany Whymark