(TRAVERSE CITY, MICH) — The Michigan Craft Distillers Association (MCDA) has named its 2017 Board of Directors:
- President: Jon O’Connor — Co-Owner of Long Road Distillers, Grand Rapids
- Vice President: Kent Rabish — Founder & President of Grand Traverse Distillery, Traverse City
- Secretary: Rick Wyble — Head Distiller & President at American Fifth Spirits, Lansing
- Treasurer: Dr. Kris Berglund — Owner & Distiller at Red Cedar Spirits and Michigan State University Distinguished Professor of Food Science and Chemical Engineering, East Lansing
- Director: Don Coe — Former owner of Black Star Farms and former Michigan Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Traverse City.
Rabish, Berglund and Coe are incumbent founding board members; O’Connor and Wyble were just elected to their first two-year terms. Coe will also serve as chair of the organization’s Legislative Committee, which is made up of a handful of members and the full board.
The Michigan Craft Distillers Association was formed in October, 2014 as a non-profit organization charged with marketing the individual member businesses, their products and events, but also help bring a voice for the industry when it comes to legislative issues that affect the overall beverage industry.
MCDA currently represents more than two dozen distilleries with nearly 40 unique tasting room locations around the state, as well as a handful of distillery in-planning members and nearly 30 allied members. Michigan’s craft distilling industry is growing at a rapid pace – ranking #4 in the nation in terms of overall number of distilleries (behind California, Oregon and Washington).