Christine Cooney awarded for services to agriculture

The co-founder and CEO of Heavenly Spirits, Christine Cooney, was awarded the Ordre du Mérite Agricole last week (23 October).

The award rewards exceptional services to agriculture, whether in public duties or in the practice of agriculture. Cooney was awarded the rank of chevalier (knight).

The ceremony, which coincided with a 15th-anniversary celebration and a tasting of Heavenly Spirits’ spirits portfolio at the French Library in Boston, was conducted by Mustafa Soykurt, consul general of France in Boston.

Heavenly Spirits was founded in 2008 and is a US importer of French spirits.

“The celebration and tasting had been planned for several months in advance,” said Daniel Cooney, Heavenly Spirits’ other co-founder and Christine’s husband, “but we only received the announcement of the award and knighthood a few weeks prior, so it just made sense to combine the two related events.”

More than 100 guests, including industry partners, family and friends, attended the event.

Soykurt shared Christine’s qualifications and explained why she had been nominated for the award, with many businesses and individuals applauding her promotion of French agriculture and gastronomic knowledge.

In Christine’s acceptance speech, which she delivered both in French and in English, she acknowledged her grandfather’s influence, mentioning how he gave her a taste of Armagnac when she was a young girl.

She also credited her father and her husband for their support in following her passion for French spirits and her belief that smaller producers are the heart and soul of French agriculture.

She also thanked all of Heavenly Spirits’ suppliers, customers and staff for their continued support.