About the Virginia Spirits Board

The Virginia Spirits Board was established in 2020 by enactment of the Virginia General Assembly. It was created to provide resources for promotion of the Virginia spirits industry by a number of means approved by an administrative board appointed by the Governor. The purpose of the Board is to foster the development of the Virginia spirits industry by expanding spirits research, increasing education, and promoting the production of ingredients necessary for alcohol distillation and the production of spirits in the Commonwealth.

The Board is comprised of eleven members, three of whom are coopers or maltsters and six of whom are owners or operators of a distillery in the Commonwealth. The remaining two members are the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, and they serve ex officio without voting privileges.

Board of Directors

Scott Harris, Chair
Catoctin Creek

Vicki Haneberg, Vice Chair
Virago Spirits

Andrew Yancey, Treasurer
Tarnished Truth

Jeff Bloem
Murphy & Rude Malting Company

Joshua Chandler
Speyside Bourbon Cooperage

Kelly Gordon
Springfield Distillery

Matthew Harris
Grain producer

Tom Murray
MurLarkey Distilled Spirits

Tim Nichols
Appalachian Heritage Distillery

Joe Guthrie, ex officio
Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Tom Kirby, ex officio
Virginia ABC

About the Virginia Spirits Board Marketing Office

The Virginia Spirits Board (VSB) established the Virginia Spirits Board Marketing Office in March, 2023 to provide marketing, promotion and consulting services to the VSB.

The Hodges Partnership, a communications firm based in Richmond, was contracted to develop the marketing office and implement a fully integrated marketing and branding program for the Virginia spirits industry and its 80+ Virginia distilleries crafting bourbon, whiskey, gin, moonshine and more.

Jack Gorman, Executive Director

Julia Loudy, Senior Media Strategist

Adrienne Band, Digital Strategist

Amanda Christian, Content Strategist

Madelyn Balser, Communications Coordinator

Contact the Virginia Spirits Board Marketing Office
1805 E Broad St, Richmond, VA 23223
(804) 344-8200
info@virginiaspirits.org

View the 2023 Annual Report