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Logo for ACDA
American Craft Distillers Association, www.americancraftdistillers.org
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Pennfield Jensen
Mr. Pennfield (Penn) Jensen, Executive Director, for American Craft Distillers Association (ACDA).
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Leah Hutchinson
Ms. Leah Hutchinson (Center), Marketing & Events Director, for American Craft Distillers Association (ACDA).
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American Craft Distillers Association
It gives me great pleasure to bring you this exclusive interview with Mr. Pennfield (Penn) Jensen and Ms. Leah Hutchinson from the recently-created American Craft Distillers Association (ACDA). Penn and Leah are extremely experienced in the distilled spirits arena and their passion is evident from the moment you meet them.
The ACDA is here to address the needs of an evolving industry. The manner in which these needs are identified and addressed will be crucial for the industry’s long- term survival. I wish them much success!
Margaret Ayala, Publisher
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Dear Penn and Leah,
Thank you very much for taking the time for this interview. You are founders of a new association with great potential to change the craft spirits industry in the USA for the better. I find it very valuable to share the organization’s purpose and role with our readers and I wish you both much success!
What is your full name, title and role in the Association?
Penn: Pennfield Jensen, Executive Director. My primary role is to clarify and to execute the twin core missions of ACDA: to promote and protect craft distillers in the U.S.
Leah: Leah Hutchinson – Marketing & Events Director. I have and will continue to oversee many facets of this association’s formative year and wear many hats. Developing the membership benefits and relationships with the associations, organizations and companies that will provide additional opportunities for our members.
What is ACDA’s mission?
Penn: As noted above, in broad-brush terms, ACDA’s mission is to promote craft distillers and protect them by creating favorable business environments for them. Within that big-picture view, there exists what we call “ the triangle,” the three areas of greatest concern and interest for craft distillers:
Leah: 1. Assistance in facilitating legislation on a local, state and national level.
2. Developing liasions with Distributors, wholesalers & retailers.
3. Marketing Solutions and building plat forms for the craft distiller to get their spirits out there.
What are the short- term and long- term goals?
Penn: In the short-term, our goals have been to (A) secure sustainable funding through memberships, founding memberships, and founding sponsorships, (B) to establish the critical structures and programs to support the Association, such as elections, judging, an annual convention and internships. In the long- term, we are working to build an organization that serves the craft distilling community, especially through the state distilling guilds, is valuable to our sponsors, and has a clearly defined process for succession and long-term growth.
When was the American Craft Distillers Association (ACDA) established?
Leah: Late 2012, but was not fully up and running until early 2013 when Penn, Leah and the BOD formed a true, not-for-prof it trade association.
Did you face any unexpected challenges when establishing ACDA?
Leah: Starting a not-for-profit trade association is not an easy venture. I work side by side with our Executive Director and Board of Directors. We area building an infrastructure for the long haul.
How different are you from the other trade organizations for craft distillers?
Leah: ACDA is the ONLY not-for-profit trade association representing the craft spirits industry. We have a 501 C-6 Trade Association designation and have modeled ourselves largely after the Craft Brewers Association. We have established important relationships with other associations & organizations like the State Craft Distilling Guilds, DISCUS (Distilled Spirits Council of America) & WSWA (Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America). We are governed by a Board of Directors who are themselves DSPs and who have organized ACDA for DSPs! Our association has developed strong affiliations and partnerships across a broad array of key industry leaders such as RNDC-USA, event promoters such as Whisky Live and DSTILL, and suppliers from every aspect of production.
Who can become a member?
Leah: Anyone, but only DSPs who produce less that 100K PG per year (removed from bond) are eligible to vote.
What benefits does the ACDA offer its members?
Leah: It is extremely important to note that we support the industry as a whole. Our programs and events are NOT exclusively limited to members. As policy, we believe this approach will build a strong and active membership over time.
Penn: Going back to our “Triangle” analogy above, we work closely to support pro-industry legislation on federal and state levels—especially through the Guilds. That said, we are not a lobbying group. Our goal is to build a legislatively informed and active grass- roots constituency that will, as the Association grows, become, we believe, highly influential in every state and in Washington, D.C.
The programs we are developing now, especially our inaugural Convention in Denver offer in-depth answers to the advanced needs of our fast-growing industry and of the established operating distilleries. For example, our keynote speaker will be Dr. Peter Cressy, President and CEO of Discus, we will feature a roundtable of all the presidents of the current Craft Distillers Guilds around the US, and will present “narrow and deep” presentations by industry leaders in a two-day succession of Educational Tracts. With lots of time for one-on-one Q&A.
How active do you expect your members to be within the Association?
Leah: They already are very active & have established various committees to oversee our key issues and events. We have committees formed on legislation, elections, convention & spirits judging.
As part of the mission of ACDA to promote and protect craft distilling, with respect to “rum”, does the mission include defining and protecting the quality standards of rum? As part of ACDA’s roles, are you also working (or planning to work) closely with TTB to define and/or enforce these standards?
Penn: This is a good question and touches on a critical facet of ACDA’s core mission. All of the leaders and associations with whom we work are looking to ACDA to form a legitimate basis for addressing the delicate and highly charged issues surrounding the setting of standards, and the defining of terms. These will be the ongoing challenges facing the newly elected Board. Obviously, we will be delving at length into how to embrace and negotiate these issues at the Convention in Denver with as many members present there as we can muster.
Will ACDA be holding annual events?
Leah: Yes, our “inaugural” Distillers Convention and Trade Show will be March 13-15, 2014 in Denver, Colorado at the Marriott City Center. We have partnered with the Colorado Distiller’s Guild to provide a fabulous consumer and industry event, DSTILL in conjunction with our convention.
Penn: Leah was instrumental in assisting the OR Distillers Guild in creating TOAST (The Oregon Artisan Spirit Tasting) a few years ago and was on the steering committee last year to help co-create with the CO Distillers Guild, and Something Independent in forming a world class craft spirits event – DSTILL , which saw over 1200 in attendance. This year’s DSTILL has expanded to a week of spirited dinners & events designed to orient & educate the consumer as well as industry VIP’s and is a perfect example of creating plat forms for the craft distillers.
Where can people go to f ind out more information about the Association?
Visit our website frequently at www.americancraftdistillers.org, sign up for our enewsletters & by contacting Leah Hutchinson at leah@americancraftdistillers.org or Penn Jensen at penn@americancraftdistillers.org or any of our BOD members.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers about ACDA?
Penn: Stay tuned! We have barely touched on all the exciting news surrounding the launching of this Trade Association.
Leah: ACDA has also partnered with WSWA to have a craft presence at the their convention in April in Las Vegas & the Whisky Live Events throughout the US for 2014. These events are designed to create more exposure and opportunities for our distillers and there are more in the pipeline!
Once again, thank you for taking the time for this interview and for supplying such valuable information with us and our readers. I wish you all the very best.
Cheers!
Margaret Ayala