Montanya Distillers' CEO Named First Female Keynote for ADI Craft Spirits Conference

Karen Hoskin, president and co-founder of Montanya Distillers, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s American Distilling Institute (ADI) Craft Spirits Conference. This marks the first time a woman has been named the keynote since the conference’s inception in 2003.

“ADI has been a consistent source of support and education since I founded Montanya nearly a decade ago. It is an honor to provide the address, especially amid the pivotal growth the industry is experiencing,” says Karen Hoskin, president and co-founder of Montanya.

One of the few women shaking up an industry traditionally dominated by men, Hoskin is a passionate advocate for the craft spirits space. In addition to underscoring the importance of collaboration among conference attendees, she plans to focus her speech on the vision of a bold and unified future for craft distilleries.

“It is imperative that we rally together to move our industry forward without losing sight of the bigger picture around us,” says Hoskin. “I care about diversity and inclusion in the workplace, sustainability and the long-term environmental impact of our industry, and exploring big, paradigm-shifting ideas to keep little companies competitive.”

Montanya has seen solid double-digit growth for the ninth year running. The company’s gross profits were up 23 percent in 2016. Montanya grew their inventory of stored barrels of rum by 40 percent, which will help the distillery grow into the future.

Hoskin, along with her husband Brice, founded Montanya Distillers in 2008 in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. She maintains an active role in the day-to-day production, distillation and bottling, as well as oversees sales, marketing, brand and product development. Today, Montanya is distributed in 40-plus states and seven countries and has been recognized both nationally and internationally for superior quality and its green business practices.

The 2017 ADI Craft Spirits Conference and Expo runs April 3—6 in Baltimore. Hoskin’s keynote will be live streamed through Facebook.

Karen HoskinMarch 13, 2017Winter 2017