Kentucky has always been known for its bourbon production, but in recent years, the state has enjoyed a dramatic increase in bourbon-related attractions, including tours, themed hotels, and new distilleries opening frequently. In fact, in the last two decades, bourbon production has increased by 475 percent. But how long can this boom last? Is there room and demand for more distilleries? What lies ahead for Kentucky's favorite pour?

Join us for a discussion of the future of the bourbon industry, featuring three  industry leaders, who also happen to be UofL MBA alums.

Robinson Brown is a fifth-generation family employee at Brown-Forman Corporation, a Louisville-based global wine and spirits company. Robinson has spent the last 20 years in the industry, serving in various sales and marketing leadership roles, both domestically and internationally. Most recently, he was appointed as the VP/Managing Director for the Emerging Business Group, an incubator business unit targeting new to world and early-stage spirits brands. In addition, he is a member of the company's Responsibility & Rights Committee and serves on the Brown Family/Brown-Forman Shareholders Committee.

Lynsey Buege currently serves as the Director of Commercial Planning and Field Activation for Angel's Envy. In this role, she oversees the commercial sales and advocacy functions and is responsible for commercializing the Angel's Envy brand across North America and setting long-term strategies to position the brand with a solid foundation for growth. Lynsey joined Angel's Envy in November 2021 after spending 6.5 years with the brand's parent company, Bacardi USA, in a variety of sales leadership roles. 

Ricardo Delgado is Maturation Director of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. at Beam Suntory. His career with Beam started in 2007, working for Casa Sauza in Mexico as a distillery process engineer to improve processes, efficiencies, and mapping the distillation process. He later moved to operations, running the fermentation department. In 2011, he moved from Mexico to Kentucky to join the North American Operational Excellence team and has since been promoted to various positions of increasing operations and maturation responsibility into his current role. 

This discussion is sure to be informational, educational, and fun. We hope you will join us for the final event in the Focus on the Future speaker series, presented by the Center for Free Enterprise in the College of Business. It is free, no registration required, and free pizza will be served.

 *All University of Louisville College of Business programs are open to all eligible faculty, staff, and students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.