Maker's Mark® Names Rob Samuels Chief Operating Officer

Family Legacy is the Foundation for Success at Maker's Mark

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Oct 25, 2010, 04:43 ET

LORETTO, Ky., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Maker's Mark®, the world's oldest operating bourbon distillery and a National Historic Landmark, has named Rob Samuels to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. In addition, he will serve as General Manager of the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's most popular tourist destinations. Mr. Samuels, who previously served as Director of Global Brand Development for Maker's Mark, will assume his new position effective immediately. The announcement was made by Mr. Samuels' father, Bill Samuels, Jr., President of Maker's Mark.

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Rob Samuels, the grandson of Maker's Mark Founder Bill Samuels, Sr., is the eighth generation to continue the tradition of Bourbon making first started in Kentucky by his namesake in 1784. Like his father before him, Mr. Samuels learned about Maker's Mark firsthand from his grandparents, Bill Sr. and Margie, and worked every job at the Maker's Mark Distillery, which instilled in him a unique appreciation and understanding of how Maker's Mark continues to hand make its Bourbon exactly the same way his grandparents did almost 60 years ago.

"This opportunity means a great deal to me, and I have many ideas that I look forward to implementing. I bring some unique perspectives to Maker's Mark, not only in terms of my personal values and those of my grandparents, but the point-of-view of my generation which represents the most dynamic segment of our customer base. The growth potential for the Maker's Mark brand is enormous, but to achieve it we must stay true to what has brought us this far – our values, our brand fans and how we make our bourbon," said Rob Samuels.

Added Bill Samuels, Jr., "The secret to our success over the years has been our tradition to stay true to my parents' vision and unwavering commitment to handcrafting the finest quality Bourbon with passion and integrity and without compromise. Rob will play an instrumental role, not merely in maintaining and upholding our traditions, but in enhancing and furthering them. I am absolutely confident that with Rob as COO the best is truly yet to come for Maker's Mark."

Prior to becoming the Director of Global Brand Development at Maker's Mark, from 2003 – 2005 Mr. Samuels was Florida Territory Manager for the distilled spirits portfolio of Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine and Ohio State Manager in the preceding four years. Previously, he served as Regional Manager in Houston and, before that, managed sales development for Maker's Mark in the Dallas/Ft. Worth region. Mr. Samuels received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Sciences from the University of South Carolina, and subsequently completed both the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program as well as the Harvard Business School General Management Program. He is a devoted family man and passionate about giving back to his community, serving on the board of directors for The Healing Place, The Leadership Kentucky Foundation and The DePaul School. Mr. Samuels currently resides in Prospect, Ky., with wife Whitney Lyons and their children, William Boone Samuels and Blair Temple Samuels.

About Maker's Mark

In 1954, at a small Victorian distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, Bill Samuels, Sr., made the first 19 barrels of a totally new whisky, using pure, iron-free, limestone spring water and a mash consisting of yellow corn, barley and red winter wheat that, when aged-to-taste over the next six years, would become Maker's Mark Bourbon. Mr. Samuels created a Bourbon that brought "good taste" and "taste-good" together for the first time and, in so doing, heralded the modern era of Bourbon. In 2010, in tribute to his father's spirit of innovation, Bill Samuels, Jr., unveiled Maker's 46, a totally new Bourbon which reflects the distinct character of Maker's Mark but has a bigger, bolder and full bodied taste that is luscious without any hint of bitterness. Today, Maker's Mark continues to hand make its Bourbon exactly the same way Bill Samuels, Sr. did almost 60 years ago, in small batches by skilled craftsmen who hand-tear each label and hand-dip each bottle. Maker's Mark Bourbon whisky (45% alc./vol.) and Maker's 46 (47% alc./vol.) are distilled, aged and bottled by the Maker's Mark Distillery, Inc., in Loretto, Kentucky. In 1980, the distillery was designated a National Historic Landmark, becoming the first distillery in America to be so recognized, and has also been decreed as the "world's oldest operating Bourbon whisky distillery" by Guinness World Records. The Maker's Mark Distillery is one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's most popular tourist destinations, attracting more than 100,000 visitors each year. For more information, please visit the Maker's Mark website (www.makersmark.com).