Robin Nance

Robin Nance, Portfolio Trade Engagement Manager, has been named the Pioneer Award Winner of the 2019 Dame Hall of Fame class by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. She tells us what receiving this prestigious industry recognition means and how she’s been able to contribute to the hospitality industry in her role.

Chicago, Illinois, September 9, 2019 – Beam Suntory, a global leader in premium spirits, has appointed Olga Osminkina-Jones to be its Chief Innovation, R&D and RTD Officer. In this new position, Osminkina-Jones will lead global innovation, global research and development, and the ready-to-drink (RTD) business in the North America and International regions for products developed outside of Japan. She will join Beam Suntory from PepsiCo, where she has served as Vice President & General Manager, Global Hydration Portfolio and Innovation and has most recently been focused on Premium Global Food & Beverages. 

As we pursue our growth ambitions, innovation will play an increasingly important role, and we also see that ready-to-drink products present a massive growth opportunity for us, at the cross-roads of important consumer trends such as refreshment, better-for-you and convenience,” said Albert Baladi, president & CEO of Beam Suntory. “That’s why we’ve created the position of Chief Innovation, R&D and RTD Officer, and why Olga is ideally suited for this new role. Olga is a dynamic leader and a passionate brand builder, innovator and marketer with a keen focus on luxury and premium products and a track record of disrupting categories. Olga’s depth of expertise, coupled with Suntory’s legendary capability in innovation, product development and the RTD category, are a powerful combination that can help accelerate our global premium spirits ambitions for years to come.

Osminkina-Jones brings 18 years of experience at Pepsi, Danone, Heineken, Estée Lauder and Procter & Gamble, and has worked in a variety of roles across developed and emerging markets, based out of Moscow, Geneva, Paris and New York. During her career, she has led the development and launch of premium and luxury brands, re-launched, re-energized and turned around mature brands, and created innovative digital partnerships and business models. Osminkina-Jones is a graduate of SDA Bocconi Executive MBA with specialization in Luxury and Fashion Goods and has pursued continued post-graduate education at Stanford Business School, IDEO, MIT and Harvard in the subjects of Transformative Innovation and Global Business Leadership. 

Osminkina-Jones will join Beam Suntory on September 30th, and she will report to Jessica Spence, President of Brands. She will also work closely with the company’s region presidents, including Japan/China region president Sho Senba, who will retain global responsibility for the Suntory RTD brands and products. She will also be a key partner to the company’s supply chain leadership in driving quality through the value chain.  

About Beam Suntory Inc.
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whisky; Canadian Club whisky; Hornitos and Sauza tequila; EFFEN, Haku and Pinnacle vodka; Sipsmith and Roku gin; and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

CHICAGO – May 1 – From Kentucky to Sydney, Chicago to Delhi, and Mexico City to Madrid, Beam Suntory employees teamed up to give back to their communities by cleaning up local waterways, planting trees, promoting environmental conservation and more. 

As part of the premium spirits company’s first-annual “Together for Good” initiative, nearly 2,000 employees participated in volunteer activities, representing 54 company locations from 13 countries on four continents.

“Beam Suntory operates with a vision of Growing for Good, and today we’re demonstrating the collective impact we can make,” said Albert Baladi, President and CEO of Beam Suntory, who joined the local team at Beam Suntory’s bottling plant in Frankfort, Kentucky to build a garden.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Beam Suntory and our unique East-West culture than to support our environment and give back to the communities where our people live and work.” 

“Together for Good” activities include: 

• Chicago: Partnered with the Friends of the Chicago River to improve conditions in local forest preserves through the removal and burning of invasive trees, and promote water quality by removing trash from the shorelines and waterways of branches of the Chicago River, including near Beam Suntory’s global headquarters, which overlooks the junction of the river’s three branches. 

• Kentucky: Worked with partners at Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest to collect trash along local waterways in Clermont, which serve the community and as the water source for Jim Beam, the world’s #1-selling bourbon. Built a rain garden and bioswales on the grounds of the company’s bottling facility in Frankfort, and partnered with a local organization to remove trash in downtown Louisville.

• Delhi: Alongside Swechha We for Change Foundation, removed trash from the Kudsia Ghat River.  

• Mexico City: Partnered with Rios Limpios in a shoreline and kayaking clean-up, removing trash and other debris from the water.   

• Sydney: In partnership with Conservation Volunteers Australia, planted, mulched, collected litter, and removed invasive species along a local creek. 

“We look forward to seeing our global day of service impact grow every year, along with our positive impact on the communities surrounding our distilleries, bottling plants and company offices,” Baladi said. 

Beam Suntory’s vision of Growing for Good is reflected in its commitments to protect water and the environment, support its communities and promote responsible consumption of alcohol. Beam Suntory has initiated programs at its Kentucky distilleries to ensure a sustainable source of limestone water for bourbon distillation and the community. 

In addition to Together for Good, Beam Suntory employees are encouraged to give back in ways most meaningful to them, with two paid volunteer days each year through the Beam Suntory Cares program. Responsible consumption of alcohol is a core principle, reflected in Drink Smart, Beam Suntory’s consumer education platform, support of social aspects organizations around the world, and membership in organizations like the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking. 

About Beam Suntory 

As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whisky; Canadian Club whisky; Hornitos and Sauza tequila; EFFEN, Haku and Pinnacle vodka; Sipsmith and Roku gin; and Midori liqueur.  

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2019 Beam Suntory, Inc., Merchandise Mart, 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60654

Beam Suntory’s Matt Wasinger, Director of Supply Chain Finance, was recently recognized among Louisville Business First’s “2019 Best in Finance.” Louisville’s leading business publication recognized Matt along with 24 other local finance professionals, from companies like Yum Brands Inc., Humana and Kindred Healthcare LLC.

According to Louisville Business First, financial executives, like Matt, are key when it comes to looking at company data and strategizing plans for growth.

Furthermore, they must be objective company stewards who understand all aspects of their organization. And even when it’s unpopular, they must provide an independent voice of reason that’s driven more by facts than feelings.

I am humbled to be recognized by my colleagues in the Louisville area,” Matt said. “I am only allowed to talk about the work we’ve done because of what my team has been able to execute.

His 17-year career spans supply chain and finance. While most of his time is devoted to driving integrated business decisions and helping maintain the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the production of our products, he also puts significant emphasis on working with and developing members of his team.

“Matt is a key member of the Beam Suntory team and someone who colleagues within Supply Chain, Finance and cross-functional groups consistently go to for information and help navigating the many complex decisions that need to be made on a daily basis,” said Gina Rossi, Chief Financial Officer, Global Supply Chain. “I’m thrilled for Matt’s well-deserved recognition, and the opportunity to highlight the work our Finance team does to support our Louisville business.”

Over the past two years, Matt noted that roughly half of his team has taken on a new role or expanded their current role both inside and outside of finance. He is a strong advocate for their continuous learning and encourages them to try slightly different or completely different roles.

“What makes me most excited is giving my team the chance to try new things,” Matt said. “This helps build engagement, motivation, and synergy among the team.”

Matt, a husband and father of three, has been with Beam Suntory for six years. He lives in the Louisville area and enjoys spending time with family and friends, live music, and baseball. His favorite Beam Suntory product/cocktail is an Old Fashioned with Maker’s 46.

Clermont, KY (Sept. 5, 2019) – Freddie Noe, eighth generation Beam distiller and creator of Little Book® Whiskey, is proud to announce the third installment in his annual, limited-release series of blends – “Little Book Chapter 3: The Road Home.”

Following high acclaim for the first two blended whiskies within the Little Book series – 2017’s “The Easy” and 2018’s “Noe Simple Task” – the third chapter delivers on Noe’s passion for creating one-of-a-kind blends, while also honoring his storied family roots in Kentucky. Little Book Chapter 3: “The Road Home” features a blend of four super-premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskies, one from each brand of the original Small Batch Bourbon Collection created by his grandfather Booker Noe in the early 1990s. The result is a meticulously blended whiskey with depth of flavor and legacy.

‘The Road Home’ is about going back to your roots - literally and figuratively,” Noe said. “With the birth of my son this year I spent a lot more time at home, reflecting often on family and our legacy so I wanted to create something that honored the legacy and values passed down to me by my family. Whenever I drive down the road to the distillery, the same one my granddaddy Booker drove down, I’m reminded of his adventurous spirit, especially of his creation of the Small Batch Collection in a time when no one was drinking premium bourbon. I like to think he passed that same spirit along to me, which ultimately led me to blending.

Noe’s inspiration is manifested in the composition of the final blend, which features uncut and unfiltered1 whiskies of the original Small Batch Bourbon Collection, including: 9-year-old Knob Creek® and Basil Hayden’s® Bourbons, an 11-year-old Booker’s® Bourbon and a 12-year-old Baker’s® Bourbon. On the front of the palate, there’s a complexity from the vanilla, wood and caramel notes signature to the Knob Creek and Booker’s Bourbons, balanced out by the spiciness known to the Basil Hayden’s Bourbon. The 12-year-old Baker’s contributes a lingering, warm and sweet finish, layered with tones of oak. 
 
“This particular blend carries a lot of sentimental value for me,” Noe explained. “Each of the individual bourbons are special to me, just as they were to my granddad, and I really wanted to make sure they came through the final blend in a way that would make him proud. Every aspect of Chapter 3 had to be absolutely perfect - the vanilla notes, the finish, the aroma - so I meticulously tested each blend to get it to a place that represented the entire Small Batch Collection while creating something totally new that I think people are really going to love.”

Little Book® “The Road Home” was developed by Freddie Noe with the following characteristics:

• Blend Overview:
  • 9-year-old Knob Creek® Bourbon 
  • 9-year-old Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
  • 11-year-old Booker’s® Bourbon 
  • 12-year-old Baker’s® Bourbon
• Proof: 122.6
• Tasting Notes:  Little Book® “The Road Home” features the iconic flavors of the original Small Batch Collection – vanilla, caramel, spices – all in one when enjoying this new expression
• Sipping Suggestions: Neat, over ice, or with a drop or two of water

Little Book® “The Road Home” will be available nationwide beginning in August 2019 in limited quantities with a Suggested Retail Price of $124.99 for a 750mL bottle.  

For more information about Little Book® “The Road Home” and Freddie Noe’s work as a Beam distiller, please visit: https://www.littlebookwhiskey.com/, or visit us on Instagram @littlebookwhiskey. 

About Little Book®
Little Book® is the first-ever product release from Freddie Noe, Eighth Generation Beam Distiller, son of current Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe and grandson of legendary Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe. An annual, limited release series, Little Book features new and unique high-quality blends each year that bring to life Freddie’s passion for blending and his curiosity for the limitless tastes that can be achieved through the blending process. Little Book is named as a nod to Freddie’s childhood nickname, given to him by his family for the many qualities he shared with his granddad, Booker Noe.

About Beam Suntory Inc.
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whisky; Canadian Club whisky; Hornitos and Sauza tequila; EFFEN, Haku and Pinnacle vodka; Sipsmith and Roku gin; and Midori liqueur.  
 
Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

CLERMONT, KY, July 25, 2019 – Today, Beam Suntory is breaking ground on the Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery, which will be the home of future innovation and provide opportunities for education and hospitality. The new distillery is part of a larger $60 million investment to re-establish the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, which encompasses the production operations for the flagship Jim Beam® brand, as well as small-batch brands like Booker’s®, Baker’s®, Basil Hayden’s® and Knob Creek®, and next generation brands like Legent™ and Little Book®, and the visitor experience. 

Beam Suntory is excited to honor our roots by investing in the James B. Beam Distilling Co., and setting ourselves up for a bright future in Kentucky and around the world,” said Albert Baladi, President & CEO, Beam Suntory. “With nearly 225 years behind us, we are proud of our history of entrepreneurialism, craftsmanship and innovation.  As the world leader in bourbon, we are thrilled to be laying the foundation for the next 225 years.

The James B. Beam Distilling Co. was the company’s name immediately following Prohibition and will serve as the name of Beam Suntory’s Clermont operations going forward. 

The Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery, named for 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe, will serve as the home for small-batch bourbons like Booker’s and Baker’s, the next-generation brand Little Book, created by 8th generation Beam Distiller Freddie Noe, and serve as a functional production facility to explore new fermentation and distillation techniques. It will be located on the James B. Beam Distilling Co. site in Clermont, Kentucky.

“At Beam Suntory, we like to say that we’re all One Big Family, and what we’re beginning here today reinforces our leadership in bourbon, and sets us up for the future,” said Freddie Noe. “Now I can’t think of anyone who’s set up the future of bourbon any better than my dad, so I can hardly begin to express my pride in naming this new distillery after him.”

As part of its tourism investment, Beam Suntory will elevate its visitor experience in Clermont, KY and give consumers more reasons to visit, including behind-the-scenes tour across the family of brands from Jim Beam to Basil Hayden’s to Legent, a tasting room, and even customizable experiences. 
 
Beam Suntory recently announced Jim Beam’s $5 million donation to the University of Kentucky, the largest philanthropic donation on company record, to establish the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits. This institution, designed in partnership with the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Distillers Association, will educate the next generation of distillers through a first-of-its-kind curriculum that covers the skills needed to succeed in the distilled spirits industry at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.  

Each year, Beam Suntory invests more than $500 million to make bourbon in Kentucky. 

About Beam Suntory
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whisky; Canadian Club whisky; Hornitos and Sauza tequila; EFFEN, Haku and Pinnacle vodka; Sipsmith and Roku gin; and Midori liqueur. 

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2019 Beam Suntory, Inc., Merchandise Mart, 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60654