Woody Creek Distillers Names Clayton Smith President

Smith will focus on driving sales growth in key markets and continue to develop the award-winning spirits brand.

BASALT, CO (NOVEMBER 3, 2026) - Woody Creek Distillers announces today that it has named Clayton Smith the brand’s president. In his new post, Smith will focus on driving sales growth in key markets and continuing to build the brand at the award-winning craft distillery located in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley.

Smith's expertise spans brand development and business expansion, profit and loss management, strategic planning and organizational development, as well as omnichannel commerce and distributor management across national accounts.

Most recently, he served as Commercial Director, United States & Canada for Crossfire Hurricane Rum, the premium Jamaican rum venture founded by The Rolling Stones and Universal Music Group. There, Smith led commercial operations across North America, maintaining full responsibility for commercial strategy, sales, and marketing, as well as strategic partnerships, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, and national account and distributor management. Under his leadership, the brand secured national and regional distribution partnerships, developed strategic hospitality and experiential platforms, and established a scalable foundation for long-term growth.

Prior to Crossfire Hurricane, Smith served as Executive Vice President of Sammy Hagar Brands, where he functioned as the senior operating and commercial executive responsible for strategic leadership across the organization's beverage, hospitality, entertainment, and lifestyle businesses. Partnering directly with ownership, Smith led growth strategies across multiple operating divisions, developed national commercialization plans, negotiated strategic partnerships, and spearheaded more than 30 large-scale experiential activations in partnership with Live Nation across 24 states. He also led the development and launch of multiple hospitality concepts while advancing strategic relationships with major partners including HMSHost and Barrett-Jackson.

Additional experience includes more than a decade with LVMH Moët Hennessy USA, where he managed a business portfolio exceeding $350 million, led strategic relationships with many of the largest and most influential retailers in North America, and negotiated agreements generating more than $25 million in incremental revenue and expanded distribution across 44 states.

“We’ve built something special at Woody Creek Distillers, and as we look toward our next chapter, we’re confident Clayton’s skillset can help us level-up,” said Mary Scanlan, CEO and Co-Founder of Woody Creek Distillers. “Clayton brings the experience, leadership, and commercial expertise to help us accelerate growth by expanding our reach, and building on the strong foundation we’ve established.”

“Colorado has always held a special place for me personally. Over the years, I’ve spent a great deal of time here with my family, skiing, hiking, fishing and simply enjoying everything the state has to offer,” said Smith. “I’ve always connected with Colorado’s sense of adventure, independence and authenticity, which are qualities I also see at the heart of Woody Creek Distillers. I’m incredibly excited to join Mary, Pat, and the entire Woody Creek team and help build upon the remarkable foundation they’ve created. My goal is to honor what makes Woody Creek distinctly Colorado while introducing the brand, its spirits and its story to more consumers across the country.”

ABOUT WOODY CREEK DISTILLERS

Headquartered in Basalt, Colo., high in the Rocky Mountains, a short drive from Aspen’s world-famous slopes, and more than a mile above sea level, Woody Creek Distillers is a woman-owned distillery dedicated to creating award-winning spirits that reflect Colorado's unique character and celebrate the terroir of its homeplace. From bourbon and rye to vodka crafted from local potatoes and Mary’s Select Gin, the Woody Creek team oversees every step of production on-site—from mashing and fermenting to distilling, aging, and bottling—using Colorado-grown grains from family farmers and pure Rocky Mountain water. Woody Creek’s commitment to quality and authenticity ensures every bottle embodies the spirit of its home state.