Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey to address the nation’s largest beverage alcohol conference

Boulder, Colo. • The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers, today announced Fawn Weaver, business entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, as 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.

Super early bird registration for the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America opens Tuesday, December 5.

Media interested in attending and covering the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America and World Beer Cup must apply for media credentials beginning December 5, 2023. Please direct any media questions to brewerspr@backbone.media.

Contact: Meg Papanastassiou (on behalf of the Brewers Association) 970-963-4873 ext. 1212.

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The Brewers Association organizes events, including the World Beer Cup^®, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference^® & BrewExpo America^®, National Homebrew Competition, and American Craft Beer Week^®. The BA publishes The New Brewer^® and Zymurgy^® magazines, and Brewers Publications^® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com^® and about homebrewing via the American Homebrewers Association^®. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.