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# Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Inducts 7
- URL: https://bevnews.net/kentucky-bourbon-hall-of-fame-inducts-7/
- Published: 2026-09-15T03:24:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T03:24:07.000Z
- Author: Joel Whitaker
- Tags: Who & What --

The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® today welcomed its 24th class of inductees, celebrating their lasting contributions to Kentucky’s Bourbon industry and its worldwide legacy. A record number of more than 300 industry leaders, legends and luminaries gathered in Louisville to honor the newest members of the prestigious Hall of Fame.

Inductees include two pioneering scientists and distillers who helped shape modern Bourbon production, two Brown-Forman leaders who built Kentucky whiskey into a global powerhouse, a transformative industry advocate who helped usher in Bourbon’s modern era, a celebrated storyteller who brought Bourbon history to a worldwide audience, and a longtime legislator whose work helped modernize Kentucky’s alcohol laws and fuel the industry’s growth.

The inductees:

- **Shane Baker**, 55, Danville, Ky. and **E. Patrick Heist, Ph.D**., 53, Danville, Ky. Baker and Heist, co-founders of Ferm Solutions and Wilderness Trail Distillery, are widely recognized for blending science, innovation, and tradition to advance Kentucky Bourbon.
- **The late W.L. Lyons Brown Sr.** and **late George Garvin Brown II**, Louisville, Ky. The grandsons of Brown-Forman founder George Garvin Brown played transformative roles in building Brown-Forman into the largest Kentucky-based distilling company following Prohibition. Under their leadership, Early Times became the world’s top-selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon, while the company expanded globally and strengthened iconic brands like Jack Daniel’s.
- **Eric Gregory**, 59, Midway, Ky. Under Gregory’s leadership, Kentucky Bourbon has experienced unprecedented growth, modernization, and global recognition. Since becoming President of the KDA in 2008, Gregory helped transform the industry through landmark legislative reforms, expansion of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour, and unifying distillers of all sizes under a shared vision.
- **Fred Minnick**, 47, Louisville, Ky. Since returning from military service in Iraq, Minnick has become one of Bourbon’s most influential modern storytellers and advocates. Through bestselling books, national media coverage, podcasts, live events, and philanthropy, Minnick helped elevate Bourbon into mainstream culture while preserving its history and craftsmanship. A respected author, journalist, and educator, he has shaped how consumers worldwide understand and appreciate Kentucky Bourbon and American whiskey.
- **John W. Schickel,** 72, Union, Ky. Through landmark alcohol law reforms, Schickel helped modernize Kentucky’s regulatory landscape, strengthen the Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience, support craft distilling, and expand tourism opportunities statewide.