Portland, OR–Longtime American Cider Affiliation CEO Michelle McGrath will depart her position on the finish of 2024. This transformation comes after greater than 8 years of profitable management overseeing vital developments within the ACA’s mission for the good thing about the US cider group. McGrath was employed in 2016 as the primary CEO of the ACA, then referred to as america Affiliation of Cider Makers. Since her hiring, she led a metamorphosis of the ACA into the internationally-respected nonprofit commerce group that it’s right this moment.
“Michelle has been instrumental on the helm of ACA for each our group in addition to for the cider {industry}. We’ll miss her artistic, strategic, and compassionate management, however we’re excited to see the place her subsequent endeavors take her. The board is grateful for Michelle’s 8 ½ years of service throughout which she reached many significant milestones for the ACA,” says present ACA Board President, Christine Walter of Bauman’s Cider.
As CEO, McGrath expanded and diversified membership, occasions, and applications, enhanced the affiliation’s capabilities, attain, credibility and community, and successfully advocated for coverage change supporting cider with Congress, the TTB, and state governments.
“I’m actually pleased with what the board, employees, volunteers, companions, and members have completed collectively during the last 8+ years. It’s been a real honor to work with such inspiring individuals, and though I’m prepared to maneuver to the subsequent part of my profession, I’ll cherish my time and the relationships I’ve constructed on the ACA eternally,” says McGrath. “It’s exhausting to specific how a lot the individuals on this {industry} imply to me, and I’m extremely grateful for the friendships and recollections made. I used to be a cider fan earlier than I took the reins on the ACA, and I’ll be a cider fan for all times!”
A couple of of McGrath’s many accomplishments:
- Elevated the ACA’s membership by greater than 60% to just about 800 members
- Achieved a considerable 100% enhance in annual income by diversifying funding sources
- Expanded the ACA’s staff to a number of extremely succesful and passionate staff members
- Organized and led 8 CiderCon® occasions, the biggest cider-industry occasion worldwide
- Oversaw the event, progress and international enlargement of the ACA’s Licensed Cider Skilled program, the one globally accessible schooling program for beverage and culinary {industry} professionals
- Championed applications and insurance policies to help the expansion of a various curiosity in cider, together with the ACA’s Cider is for Everybody Scholarship
- Created a market insights program that shares market information and experiences with members and the beverage {industry} at giant
- Fostered sturdy relationships with key nationwide beverage media shops and cultivated significant press highlighting the expansion of cider and the people behind it
- Supported nationwide collaborative efforts to develop small-producer tax credit
- Fought for the best to checklist harvest years on TTB-approved labels for cider over 7% ABV
- Led efforts in securing TTB approval for 12 oz (authorized in 2020), 16 oz, and 19.2 oz packaging sizes for wine, mead, and cider over 7% ABV (TTB feedback lately closed)
- Collaborated with congressional champions and allied segments to introduce the Bubble Tax Modernization Act (HR 7029) to extend allowable carbonation thresholds for fruit cider, fruit wine and fruit mead beneath 8.5% ABV
McGrath shared that her championing of farmers will proceed in her subsequent position. She plans to remain engaged with the cider {industry}, and he or she might be at CiderCon® 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
“I’m excited to see everybody, and to expertise the cider from the featured visitor nation this 12 months–Chile! Let’s share some cider collectively, pals!” McGrath says.
The ACA Board of Administrators is accepting purposes for its subsequent dynamic and visionary CEO till November 24. candidates are inspired to use early, as purposes might be reviewed on a rolling foundation. These excited by making use of can study extra right here.
