How long have you been part of the Heaven Hill family?

I like to think I first joined the Heaven Hill family when I moved to Kentucky seven years ago and Elijah Craig became my bourbon of choice. I started at the company at the beginning of this year.

What’s inspiring you in life right now?  

I’ve been viewing the pandemic-imposed isolation as an opportunity to refresh my learning habits and expand my exposure to different viewpoints. I’ve gone back to reading multiple newspapers and news sources every morning, doing more things like crossword puzzles for quick breaks rather than more “mindless” entertainment, and expanding my reading topics beyond those which I’ve tended to concentrate in the past.

Tell us about an organization or cause you are passionate about.

I serve as a trustee of the Speed Art Museum, and I am most passionate about the renewed mission on which the Speed has embarked. Its focus on using art to bring together the various communities that populate our region and in making art more accessible and relevant to everyone are initiatives that resonate strongly with me. I am particularly proud of the just-opened exhibition featuring the Vanity Fair cover portrait of Breonna Taylor. It is gaining national recognition as a model of how a museum can create experiences featuring diverse voices that speak to broader audiences regarding current events of concern to all of us.

Which Heaven Hill corporate value do you relate to most and why?

It’s hard to choose one, but I’d pick “Customer Focused” as the primary value in my mind. I believe if we keep our focus on our customers’ needs and delighting them in our execution and delivery, we’ll have done that by being true to the other values and we’ll achieve and exceed our operational and strategic goals.

What’s your favorite Heaven Hill memory?

Since I’m relatively new here, my first day in Bardstown working for Heaven Hill is still a thrill fresh in my mind.

What’s one thing people may not know about you?

I’ve been an urban dweller for most of my life, but my wife and I raise a (very) small herd of beef cattle on our farm. We currently have three heifers on our pastures right now, and we’ve been eating beef from the cattle we’ve raised on our grass since we moved here to Kentucky.

What’s your favorite time of day?

I’m more of a morning person.  I like the pre-dawn time in particular when the night sky is still present but is giving way to what are generally beautiful sunrises on our farm.

What are three things you can’t live without?

My wife, a good book, and my dogs.

What would you like to be remembered for?

That I have been a dedicated supporter and philanthropist of all our communities in Kentucky, and in some small ways I’ve made a difference here in my adopted home state.