WASHINGTON, D.C.— As the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) approaches its tenth anniversary, the trade organization is proud to announce several strategic new hires. The expanded team will help lead the association through its next decade of growth and service to the country’s craft spirits community.
ACSA is pleased to announce the addition of Michael Walker as State Policy Advisor. In his new role, Walker will be identifying state legislative issues and liaising with state distillery guilds to develop legislative strategies. Walker joins ACSA’s legislative team with nearly 25 years of experience at the intersection of the public and private sectors, including more than 11 years serving in the legislative and executive branches of government. Most recently, he served for well over a decade with Constellation Brands as VP of its external affairs/public affairs department.
“I look forward to assisting the ACSA team and guiding their passionate members as together we navigate the dynamic state policy landscape facing our craft spirits producers,” Walker said.
Additionally, Kenneth Brady has been named Director of Membership and Marketing and will be responsible for nurturing and growing ACSA’s community of members and sponsors while also developing and executing a marketing vision for the association. Brady previously served in a part-time capacity as ACSA’s Non-Dues Revenue and Marketing Strategist. He draws upon many years of experience in marketing, branding, communication/engagement, business development and membership in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, with past roles at associations, technology companies, and a chamber of commerce.
“I am gratified to be part of the craft spirits community and will strive to elevate and promote the profession with great passion,” Brady said.
Also joining the team is Stephanie Sadri as Director of Meetings and Events. She is a familiar face within the craft spirits community, as Sadri has managed the logistics of ACSA’s events—including the annual Distillers’ Convention and Vendor Trade Show and Public Policy Conference—for several years as an employee of global meeting planning company Helms Briscoe. Sadri now joins the ACSA staff full time and will be in charge of all things events, from planning to exhibitor development. This seasoned hospitality and events industry veteran has built her career at venues like Invesco Field—where she worked not only on Denver Broncos events, but on the Democratic National Convention—as well as Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Oxford Hotel and The Curtis Hotel. Sadri is Immediate Past President of Meeting Professionals Internationals (MPI), on whose board of directors she’s served for nine years. She’s also in the Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame and has been awarded Smart Meetings Planner of the Year, and the MPI Rising Star Award.
“I am beyond excited to join the team full time and continue to champion the amazing work that ACSA does for the incredibly vibrant craft spirits community,” Sadri said.
Walker, Brady and Sadri all officially assume their new roles today.
“ACSA works day-in and day-out to enable craft spirits producers to operate in a business-friendly environment, from manufacturing through sales and distribution,” said ACSA CEO Margie A.S. Lehrmann. “Equally important is engaging all stakeholders, with the goal of bringing together our vibrant community to learn and celebrate our innovation. Adding Michael, Ken, and Stephanie to the team will help fulfill those goals and move us to that next level.”
Finally, it is with mixed emotions that ACSA announces the forthcoming departure of Carason Lehmann on October 15, who served for more than six years with the organization—most recently as Membership & Events Director. Though Lehmann has been instrumental in building ACSA to what it is today, she will enter a new chapter in her career as a wedding event planner at Soeur Events in Charleston, S.C. Her contributions to the association have been innumerable and Lehmann will be greatly missed by her ACSA colleagues.
“I am so thankful to Margie and ACSA for taking a chance on me six years ago,” Lehmann said. “It is extremely bittersweet to be leaving such an incredible organization, especially the members, who I’ve been able to build connections with throughout the years. I’ve learned a tremendous amount and it has fueled my lifetime love and passion for good hospitality.”
ABOUT ACSA
The American Craft Spirits Association is the only registered nonprofit 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.
ACSA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the eligible voting members of the Association. Voting members must be independent, licensed distillers (DSPs) annually removing fewer than 750,000 proof gallons from bond (the amount on which a Federal Excise Tax is paid.) who subscribe to ACSA’s Code of Ethics.
For More Information:
https://americancraftspirits.org