Kate and Allan Latts
In 1935, shortly after the end of prohibition, five brothers with little knowledge of the spirits industry invested in a distillery south of Louisville, Kentucky—a distillery they would later buy outright in 1938 and turn into what we know today as Heaven Hill. Heaven Hill is still the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producer and marketer, and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky bourbon. Those five Shapira brothers, David, Ed, Gary, George, and Mose, would grow that family business and guide it through the turbulent times of WWII, the Korean War, the start of the bourbon depression, and the Vietnam War. The family tradition would continue when Ed’s son Max came onboard in 1970. Max worked with his father learning all aspects of the distilling business until Ed’s passing in 1982. In 1996, Max became the second generation Shapira to run the business as President of Heaven Hill when the last surviving of the five original brothers, George, died. During his tenure, Heaven Hill expanded its portfolio to include brands in almost every liquor category. On June 27, 2022, Heaven Hill Brands announced that Max Shapira would be transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman, and the new co-Presidents would be Max’s daughter Kate Shapira Latts and her husband Allan Latts.
Kate Louise Shapira was born on March 6, 1971, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Ellen and Max Shapira. Early in life, she could be found playing store or teacher while other children played house—indications that she had a flair for business and a desire to lead. Unlike most children whose parents have 9-5 jobs, she knew her family was different. Being a child of parents who have a family-owned business, those parents do business when business needs to be done. Vacations would be sprinkled with visits to liquor stores to check on which family products were selling, and which were not. Visits to the distillery with dad created memories that last to this day. When she was in 5th grade, Kate’s family hosted her school’s field trip to the distillery, a moment she recalls with great pride. While Kate may not have been sure of what her future would hold while she was in middle school, she did have an interest in “The Family Business,” showcasing her knowledge in consecutive years’ science fairs. The first year showing how to make “bourbon” …from grains to mash to fermentation using a small family still. The second year, she experimented with which grains provided a starch that would best convert to sugar by comparing corn, rice, and wheat. Making quite a mess in her mother Ellen’s kitchen.
Her high school years were completed at Ballard High School in Louisville, Kentucky. She spent seven summers at Camp Birchtrail in Minong, Wisconsin. At camp, she learned more about her religion (Judaism), and developed leadership roles in various Jewish organizations. Not sure exactly what she wanted to do after high school, she enrolled at Duke University from 1989-1993, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. As a young woman in her early 20s who was passionate about education, she decided to continue studying at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, where she was to meet Allan Latts, her future husband. Allan also attended Duke and had already earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Studies. After meeting Kate at Duke, the couple have been together since. Once the couple earned their business degrees, they both went to work for Procter and Gamble—Kate as a brand manager and Allan as a financial analyst for Folgers Coffee.
In 2001, Allan and Kate left Cincinnati and returned to Louisville to join the family business. Allan became the Director of Corporate Planning for Heaven Hill Brands in 2001. Later, in 2008, he would be named Chief Operating Officer. When Kate arrived, she was named Chief Marketing Officer. Allan excels on the business side while Kate thrives in marketing. During her tenure as CMO, important changes would occur. Early on, in 2001, the decision was made to repackage Evan Williams and drop the age statement. A decision that would be repeated in 2016 with Elijah Craig. Both were marketing choices driven by business decisions. Maintaining the age statement would necessitate raising prices... blending some young, but quality, bourbons would keep the prices more consumer-friendly. Kate was instrumental in both the development of Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum and PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur. Both products are the first of their kind on the shelves.
In 2018, Kate received the Lois Mateus Networking award from Bourbon Women and the Kentucky Distillers Association (KDA). During her time at Heaven Hill, the brand has truly grown. Heaven Hill sells spirits in nearly every known category and continues to expand. Bourbon comprises only 28% of that portfolio, and whiskey (including bourbon) comprises 42%.
Kate and Allan share two children, Jake and Lindsey. They have instilled the Shapira/Latts family values of family, education, and heritage into their children. Both Jake and Lindsey have expressed interest in returning to the family business, perhaps making a fourth generation of legacy at Heaven Hill.
