Washington, D.C. (March 25, 2026) — Following over a decade of leadership at the helm of the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), Margie A.S. Lehrman will retire from her role as Chief Executive Officer, transitioning into a newly created CEO Emeritus position on May 1. ACSA Chief Operating Officer Emily Pennington has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and will lead the organization into its next chapter.
Margie joined ACSA shortly after its inception and served as the organization’s inaugural CEO, building the organization from the ground up alongside its founding board members and playing a defining role in evolving the national trade association as it exists today. Over the course of her tenure, she left an indelible mark on the craft spirits and broader distilling industry. Her hallmark achievements include helping secure the passage of a permanent Federal Excise Tax reduction, advancing efforts to break down longstanding market access barriers for craft producers, shepherding federal hand sanitizer and economic relief programs vital to many distillers’ survival of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the introduction and passage of direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping measures, influencing TTB’s improvement of regulations and processing times to reflect the new craft distilling landscape, and forging critical relationships with bipartisan policymakers in Washington and trade groups across the beverage alcohol and agricultural sectors. Under her leadership, ACSA’s annual convention has grown into one of the essential gathering points for craft distillers to convene and to learn. She also led the development of the CRAFT SPIRITS DATA PROJECT, a collaborative report by ACSA and Park Street that provides vital economic data to craft spirits industry members, investors, and policymakers annually. She played an instrumental role in creating the STEPUP Foundation, Inc. (Spirits Training Entrepreneurship Program for Underrepresented Professionals), a sister organization to ACSA whose focus is to educate and provide networking opportunities for the underserved and underrepresented individuals in the craft spirits sector. Lehrman currently serves as president of the STEPUP Board of Directors. More recently, in the wake of the sharpest downturn the spirits industry has experienced in recent history, Margie has remained a tireless advocate for modernization and policies that better position craft distillers to survive, compete, and grow.
Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO, ACSA said, “Helping craft spirits producers and the adjoining community of suppliers has been the greatest honor of my professional life. 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 modernization of state and federal law. I look forward to continuing to advise in this newly-created Emeritus role as Emily takes the helm. Emily is a thoughtful, strategic, and deeply experienced leader who understands both the challenges and opportunities facing this industry. She is exceptionally well-positioned to lead ACSA forward and continue to advocate for our community.”
Pennington joined ACSA as Chief Operating Officer in January 2025, bringing nearly 15 years of alcohol industry experience spanning content strategy, education, and organization management. She has worked closely with Lehrman on the association’s strategic priorities, with a particular focus on strengthening membership value, supporting industry outreach, and guiding mission critical operations. Prior to joining ACSA, Pennington developed Wine & Spirits Daily and Park Street University, and also played an instrumental role in executing the CRAFT SPIRITS DATA PROJECT.
The leadership transition comes at an important time for the craft spirits industry. As producers continue to navigate a difficult economic and regulatory environment, ACSA remains focused on advocating for modernization, expanding opportunity for independent distillers and brands, and delivering the data, education, and community support needed to help its members succeed. As CEO, Emily will continue to focus on strengthening ACSA’s value to members, advancing the organization’s advocacy agenda, expanding industry outreach, and ensuring the association remains a strong voice for independent craft distillers during a challenging economic period.
“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,” said Pennington. “Her contributions to this industry are profound, and I am honored 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.”
Jordan Cotton, President of the ACSA Board of Directors and CEO and co-founder of Cotton & Reed Distillery, added, “Margie’s impact on ACSA and on the broader craft spirits industry cannot be overstated. Many craft distillers nationwide wouldn’t be in business today without Margie’s contributions, whether they know it or not. As the organization’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. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank her for her leadership, her vision, and her unwavering commitment to this community. We are also pleased that she will continue to support ACSA in this newly created emeritus role, and we look forward to continuing to lean on her counsel and experience in the years ahead.”
He added, “Emily has already demonstrated a deep commitment to ACSA’s mission and a clear ability to lead with both immense focus and industry knowledge. She has the Board’s unanimous confidence and is the perfect leader to guide the association into its next phase.”
ABOUT ACSA
The American Craft Spirits Association is the only national registered nonprofit trade association representing the U.S. craft spirits industry. Its mission is to elevate and advocate for the community of craft spirits producers, and membership in ACSA is open to anyone.
ACSA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the eligible voting members of the Association. Voting members must be independent licensed distillers (DSPs) annually removing fewer than 750,000 proof gallons from bond (the amount on which a Federal Excise Tax is paid.) For information about ACSA, call 202-669-3661.
Tags: ACSA American Craft Spirits Association American Distilled Spirits Cotton & Reed Craft Spirits Craft Spirits Data Project Distilled Spirits Emily Pennington Jordan Cotton Margie A.S. Lehrman STEPUP Foundation
