MSA Pure Spirits 2017 Q4 - 17

50TH ANNIVERSARY
WHO IS MSA?
The Michigan Spirits Association
serves as the member voice at the
state capitol. In addition to active
lobbying and daily monitoring of
both regulatory and legislative
issues, the association advocates
for its members on many issues:
* Promoting the responsible use
of distilled spirits.
* Stopping additional mark-ups
and tax increases on the distilled
spirits industry curtailing underage drinking.
* Preventing the bootlegging of
distilled spirits and increasing
penalties for offenses.
* Reducing burdensome regulation
on the spirits industry helping the
state and our members increase
revenue without raising taxes.
Members include vendors, suppliers and distributors of distilled
spirit products. MSA partners
with the Michigan Liquor Control
Commission to ensure that quality products are available to meet
consumer demand across the
state.
MSA members provide tens of
thousands of jobs for Michigan
residents and generate over $300
million annually in liquor profits
and taxes to the state, making
the spirits industry one of the
state's largest revenue sources. In
fact, Michigan Spirits Association
members represent more than
74 percent of the more than 8.4
million cases of liquor sold in the
state each year.
Current President Tony Mitchell,
of Infinium Spirits, has headed the
organization since 2017. Mitchell, who served as vice president
during 2015-16, has worked in all
three tiers of the industry, (supplier, distributor & retail), and was
previously with Brown-Forman
for 12 years.
Mitchell says he is honored to represent and lead the organization
in this, its 50th anniversary year.

MSA PRESIDENTS
THROUGH THE YEARS
PRESENT

TONY MITCHELL

Infinium Spirits

KEITH KEELER

2017 TO PRESENT

Bacardi USA
2015 TO 2016

BILL KALIN
Patron

RYAN KOEHNEKE

2014

Brown-Forman
2013-2014

MARSHA KEENOY
Diageo
2012

JOE DAVID

McCormick Distilling
2011

GEORGE ZRINYI
Jim Beam Brands

SYD ROSS

2004-2010

General Wine & Liquor
2002-2003

KEVIN PASCHE

Allied Domecq
1990s

FRANK BODI
Seagram's
1990s

BOB GILLIGAN

R.M. Gilligan
1990s

EJ WEEFERMAN
1980s

JOHN LAVERA
Seagram's
1970s

JIM JONES

Hiram Walker
1970s

BERNIE MELLIN
Mohawk
1960s

DON BEATTIE

National Distillers
1960s

1967

"To have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of all of the
past presidents that guided the
MSA through its first 50 years is a
distinct honor and responsibility
of ensuring it is set up for another
50 years of success" he says, "and
launching Pure Spirits magazine
is a great way to start the next 50
years."

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | JANUARY 2018 17
MSA Pure Spirits 2017 Q4

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MSA Pure Spirits 2017 Q4
