Whiskey Supporters
& Contributors to the Industry
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
1
Bruce Boeko
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
2
T.W. Boswell
T.W. Boswell inherited the legacy of Independent Stave Company at a time when the spirits and wine industries were undergoing significant changes. His approach blended a reverence for tradition with an appetite for progress. As President and later Chairman, T.W. Boswell emphasized investment in technology, research, and sustainability,
3
Brad Boswell
Brad Boswell and Independent Stave Company embody the convergence of heritage and innovation in the craft of barrel making. Through his leadership, ISC has grown from a family-run stave mill into a global force, supporting the world’s finest beverage producers while nurturing the forests and communities that make their work possible.
5
Jerry Cox
Jerry is a graduate of the Spring Class of 2023, graduating from Whiskey University on April 11, 2023, where he earned his Associate of Science degree with 18 courses, and the title of "Certified Bourbon Taster". He completed his 26th course, earning his Bachelor of Science degree and the rank of First Lieutenant in the Bourbon Brigade on June 1th, 2023.
6
Colonel Craig Duncan
Colonel Craig Duncan is lifelong whiskey aficionado with a passion for history. He blends these two interests over an elusive glass of single barrel to form a truly unique and informative bourbon experience that you will never forget.
Duncan now resides in Columbia, Tennessee which is in Maury County. He is happily married to his wife of over 33 years, Melissa Page Duncan and they have two adult children.
3
Cliff Buzick
Buzick Construction steadily expanded beyond simple warehouses. Cliff’s company became known for reliable, quality work in Bardstown, building industrial and commercial projects alongside bourbon-related facilities. Buzick Construction Company’s philosophy: ”quality work on time,” reflected Cliff’s unwavering approach to meeting clients’ needs with integrity and punctuality.
8
Dixie Hibbs
In 1982, Dixie was the first woman elected to the Bardstown City Council, and was the first woman Mayor in 2003. She retired in 2007 from public service after 23 years in office. She has been honored to serve as President of the Nelson County Historical Society for more than 20 years. In 2004, Dixie was honored as the first woman inductee into the Bourbon Hall of Fame.
9
Kevin McLaughlin
Growing up amidst the scent of wood and the rhythm of coopers at work, Kevin absorbed a deep respect for time-tested methods and meticulous precision. His father, Ed, had founded Kelvin Cooperage in Glasgow in 1963, just a few months before Kevin’s birth, after completing an intensive five-year apprenticeship along the banks of the River Kelvin.
7
Bill & Vicki Gallagher
As leaders within Whiskey University, Bill & Vicki worked tirelessly to raise up the Mid-Atlantic Region; especially the State of Maryland. Forged a productive relationship with the Maryland Distillers Guild (MDG), leading to the beginnings of a Maryland-based whiskey trail. Characterized by an officer of the MDG and distillery owner as “being the best ambassadors of Maryland Rye!” Teaching classes nationally, promoting mostly Maryland craft distillers/history and Maryland-style rye whiskeys.
11
Paul Pacult
Paul Pacult was formally writing mostly about wine, but in 1991 he launched the publication that would make his name resound with both bourbon makers and bourbon drinkers: F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal. Spirit Journal quickly became the place bourbon brands highlighted when they earned five stars.
12
Elmore Sherman
During Prohibition, Sherman completely dismantled a distillery in Henderson, Kentucky, and reassembled it 2,500 miles away in Vancouver, British Columbia. In order to accomplish the exploit, Sherman packed his entire family and worked across international borders for six months in a place that still required distilling equipment.
10
Tracy McLemore
Tracy earned degrees from Columbia State and Middle Tennessee State University, always balancing science with curiosity. In 2000, he completed his MBA, quickly moving into laboratory management and administration, where he began to shape the systems behind the science.
14
Zack Smith
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
15
Frederick Stitzel
Frederick Stitzel was born in Germany to Dominick and Magdelena Stitzel. He emigrated to the U.S. with his family at the age of 14 with his parents and two brothers, Philip and Jacob. The Stitzel family was first recorded living in the Louisville, Kentucky area in 1855..
13
Jim Silliman
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
17
Damon Thayer
Damon Thayer’s Northern Kentucky years led to a broader public profile and introduced him to his future constituency as he ultimately sought elected office in a state that is greatly dependent two of his passions: horseracing and bourbon.
18
Scott Wauford
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
16
Wm. Howard Taft
For Kentucky’s signature spirit, the decisive chapter in its legal designation came during William Howard Taft’s single White House term, when he wrote the clarifying paragraphs that stabilize whiskey label language that is still acknowledged and used, worldwide, to this day.