Ole Smoky names Michael Novy CEO
Tennessee-based Ole Smoky Distillery has appointed the former boss of 818 Tequila and Sprinter, Michael Novy, as its new CEO.
Novy will take over the CEO position from Robert Hall, who has been at the helm of Ole Smoky since 2016.
Novy joins the moonshine maker from his CEO role at Calabasas Beverage Company, where he drove Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand to 30% growth last year and led her sister’s Sprinter business. Ready-to-drink vodka and soda brand Sprinter was founded by Kylie Jenner in March 2024.
Nick Hartman, partner at Apax Partners, which owns a majority stake in Ole Smoky, said: “Mike’s leadership, commercial skills and industry experience will further accelerate growth and help achieve even greater levels of success, leveraging the strong foundation built since the company’s founding in 2010.
“I would also like to thank Robert for his significant contributions over the last nine-and-a-half years as CEO.”
Hall will remain with Ole Smoky for a period to assist Novy’s transition into CEO, before retiring and moving closer to his family in California.
Novy brings 35 years of spirits industry experience to Ole Smoky. He started his career at Gallo, initially as a sales representative and later assuming vice-president of marketing and general management positions.
After a 17-year stint at Gallo, Novy served as division vice-president at Constellation Brands, where he worked closely with US distributor Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, one of Ole Smoky’s partners.
Novy was eventually promoted to general manager of Constellation’s spirits business, where he was instrumental in driving Svedka vodka from a 4% decline to 8% growth.
Novy also served as president of Casa Dragones Tequila for two years before helping to create and launch 818 Tequila.
In his new position, Novy will be responsible for moonshine and flavoured whiskey brand Ole Smoky, and Tanteo Tequila. The distillery entered the Tequila category after agreeing to a merger with Tanteo Spirits in 2023.
In the coming months, Novy will relocate from Chicago with his wife to the Sevier County area in East Tennessee, near the Ole Smoky headquarters.
Novy added: “I look forward to working with our talented team and industry partners to drive Ole Smoky and Tanteo to new levels of growth in the US and around the world.”
According to The Brand Champions 2025 report, Ole Smoky sold 1.2 million nine-litre cases in 2024 – a decrease of 6% year on year.
Earlier this year, Ole Smoky partnered with Yee-Haw Brewing to build a new distillery in South Carolina, pencilled in for a 2026 opening.
Patricof, a private investment platform for elite professional athletes, made a ‘strategic’ investment in Ole Smoky in 2022.
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