The Brewers Association announced that Fawn Weaver, business entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, will be the keynote speaker at its upcoming Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (CBC) in Las Vegas, Nevada, from April 21-24, 2024.
“Fawn Weaver has been a dynamic force in the entrepreneurial business world for over 25 years, smashing barriers and setting new standards wherever she goes—including in the distilling industry. We are thrilled to have her share her expertise with us at the Craft Brewers Conference this April,” said Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications at the Brewers Association. “Brewers are increasingly looking to find growth in new ways to meet changing consumer preferences and demographics. Ms. Weaver’s presentation will undoubtedly offer timely, thought-provoking, and inspiring insights from a different small producer lens.”
New York Times bestselling author and groundbreaking business mogul Fawn Weaver is an expert in crafting compelling stories; as a writer, powerhouse investor, and values-driven leader. Weaver leverages 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, from founding and serving as CEO of Grant Sidney, Inc., a privately held investment company, to launching the fastest-growing whiskey brand in U.S. history, Uncle Nearest, Inc.
The brand boasts significant accolades as the most awarded American whiskey, including bourbon, of 2019, 2020, and 2021, sweeping 16 of the top 18 award competitions in the world. Weaver also built the $50M Uncle Nearest Venture Fund, investing in minority-founded, -owned, and -led brands with the greatest potential to grow into legacy brands. A multi-hyphenate and popular TED speaker and guest on NPR’s “How I Built This,” Weaver is a highly sought-after voice in conversations about accelerating growth without sacrificing values, inclusive organizational strategy, and leadership, making an impact with audiences of all kinds.
Weaver’s keynote address, “The Story of Uncle Nearest and What Craft Distillers and Brewers Have in Common,” will shine a light on her journey to becoming the first non-celebrity Black American woman to build an independent company valued at over $1 billion from the ground up, in just four years.
In addition to Weaver’s keynote at the nation’s largest gathering for beverage alcohol producers, experts will present more than 60 educational seminars spanning eight areas critical to running a successful business: Business & Leadership, Export Development, Government Affairs & Legal, Production & Operations, Quality & Ingredients, Sales & Marketing; Taprooms & Brewpubs, and THRIVE. At the BrewExpo America trade show, more than 650 exhibitors will display the latest and greatest product innovations, supplies, and services for the beverage alcohol industry. The conference culminates with the awards ceremony for the World Beer Cup®, the world’s largest and most prestigious beer competition.
Here she is in action:
Super early bird registration for the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America opens Tuesday, December 5.
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