ACSA CEO steps down after a decade
Margie AS Lehrman will retire from her role as the first CEO of trade body the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) in May.
Lehrman will transition into a newly created CEO emeritus role on 1 May, when chief operating officer (COO) Emily Pennington will become CEO.
ACSA was founded in 2013, with Lehrman joining the trade group shortly after its inception.
She has helped to establish the organisation, playing a key role in supporting the craft spirits industry over the past decade.
Lehrman’s achievements include helping to secure the passage of a permanent federal excise tax reduction, advancing efforts to break down market access barriers for small producers and driving economic relief programmes for distilleries during the pandemic.
She has also supported new direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping measures, influenced the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) improvement of regulations and processing times, and forged connections with policymakers in Washington and trade groups across the industry.
In addition, Lehrman was instrumental in the development of the Craft Spirits Data Project (CSDP) in 2015, an annual report created in partnership with education platform Park Street University that covers key industry data.
‘Greatest honour’
“Helping craft spirits producers and the adjoining community of suppliers has been the greatest honour of my professional life,” Lehrman said.
“This is a bittersweet moment, because I care so deeply about ACSA and the community of craft distillers we serve. But I am also incredibly optimistic about the future with much-needed modernisation of state and federal law. I look forward to continuing to advise in this newly created emeritus role as Emily takes the helm.”
Jordan Cotton, president of ACSA’s board of directors, and CEO and co-founder of Cotton & Reed Distillery in Washington DC, highlighted Lehrman’s major impact on the industry.
“Many craft distillers nationwide wouldn’t be in business today without Margie’s contributions, whether they know it or not,” Cotton commented.
“As the organisation’s early architect and leader, she helped transform ACSA into the authoritative national voice for independent craft distillers and guided the association through a period of tremendous growth, change, and challenge.”
Pennington joined ACSA as COO in January 2025, bringing nearly 15 years of alcohol industry experience spanning content strategy, education, and organisation management.
Prior to becoming part of ACSA, Pennington was the managing editor of Wine & Spirits Daily and led content and marketing at Park Street University, where she helped to execute the CSDP.
Lehrman described Pennington as a “thoughtful, strategic, and deeply experienced leader who understands both the challenges and opportunities facing this industry”.
‘Profound’ impact
Pennington added: “I am deeply grateful to Margie for her extraordinary leadership, her tireless advocacy, and the foundation she has built for ACSA and the broader craft spirits community.
“Her contributions to this industry are profound, and I am honoured to build on that work.
“As CEO, my focus will be on advancing a modern marketplace where craft distillers have access to sell through the channels that work for their business, and consumers have the ability to safely buy where and how they want.
“I’m excited for the road ahead and for the opportunity to continue working with ACSA’s board, members, partners, and staff to support craft distillers and help position this community for long-term success.”
Last year’s CSDP revealed a craft spirits volume drop of 6.1% to 12.7 million nine-litre cases in 2024 and a value decrease of 3.3% to US$7.58 billion.
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