PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST), makers of award-winning craft spirits, announced today that Tom Wood has been appointed Vice President of Production effective immediately. Wood will work with Master distiller and EVP, Mel Heim, and oversee all manufacturing and production operations of the Company. Wood has been acting as a consultant in establishing Eastside’s new wine and RTD canning capabilities, and has taken the leadership role in managing the Company's current wine canning services for its winery customers. As Eastside grows its sales of Burnside Bourbon products, Redneck Riviera Whiskey and other craft spirits, Wood’s expertise will be increasingly valuable.
Wood has over 25 years of executive and management experience in high volume production, manufacturing management and corporate team development for companies, including Copa di Vino, Intel Corp., Georgia-Pacific Corp. and Trellis Earth Bioplastics. At Intel, Wood led a team of over 1,000 process engineers and technicians at the Beaverton semiconductor fabrication facility, and was responsible for maintaining the highest possible production standards. As head of production at Copa di Vino winery, Wood operated the winery, the leading U.S. producer of single serve wine in cups, launching 16 new consumer products and expanding Copa di Vino’s distribution from 18 states to 48 states and 22 countries.
Grover Wickersham, chairman and CEO of Eastside Distilling, said, “At Copa di Vino, Tom successfully increased single service wine production from single digit millions to over $20 million in sales. He did so while significantly improving efficiencies, reducing overhead by roughly one-third and dramatically reducing product quality issues. He gives us a huge competitive advantage in single serve wine canning locally in the Pacific Northwest wine region. We’re delighted to have Tom Wood join the Eastside team at this critical moment, where our ability to deliver higher volumes seamlessly to our customers, whatever their demands, is the key to our future success in creating shareholder value. Tom’s being here will also help free up more creative time for our key blenders and distillers, Mel Heim and Travis Schoney.”
Wickersham added, “Prospective customers for our new canning business should call Pat Roth at (317) 809-3990 for further information on our wine and RTD Services.”
About Eastside Distilling
Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST) has been producing high-quality, award-winning craft spirits in Portland, Oregon since 2008. The company is distinguished by its highly decorated product lineup that includes Burnside Bourbon, West End American Whiskey, Goose Hollow Reserve, Below Deck Rums, Portland Potato Vodka, Hue-Hue Coffee Rum and a distinctive line of fruit infused spirits. Eastside Distilling is majority owner of Big Bottom Distilling (makers of The Ninety One Gin, Navy Strength Gin and Delta Rye whiskey) and the Redneck Riviera Whiskey Co. All Eastside, Big Bottom and Redneck Riviera spirits are crafted from natural ingredients for quality and taste. Eastside’s MotherLode Bottling subsidiary is one of the Northwest’s leading independent spirit bottlers and ready-to-drink canners. For more information visit: www.eastsidedistilling.com or follow the company on Twitter and Facebook.
Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; acceptance of the Company's products in the market; the Company's success in obtaining new customers; the Company's success in product development; the Company's ability to execute its business model and strategic plans; the Company's success in integrating acquired entities and assets, and all the risks and related information described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the financial statements and related information contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and interim Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release may include statements related to our strategic focus, product verticals, anticipated revenue, and profitability. The Company assumes no obligation to update the cautionary information in this release.
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